EC: EVM tampering allegations baseless

New Delhi: As newly-elected Samajwadi Party MLAs joined those alleging “EVM tampering” in the recently held Assembly polls on Thursday, the Election Commission said the EVM machines are “fully tamper-roof, as ever”.

Opposition parties, including the BSP and the AAP, have questioned the reliability of EVMs, following their rout in the recent Assembly polls. “Baseless, speculative and wild allegations are being made, which deserve to be rejected,” the commission said in a strongly worded statement.

It said that it did not receive specific complaints or concrete material from these parties or candidates about the alleged EVMs tampering during the recently held election process.

The poll watchdog said the BSP’s representation on the EVM tampering was without any specific allegation. “Such concerns about alleged tampering of ECI-EVMs have been raised earlier also ever since their introduction.

“ECI unequivocally reiterates that given the effective technical and administrative safeguards, EVMs are not tamperable and integrity of electoral process is preserved,” it said.

The rebuttal came a day after BSP supremo Mayawati said she will move court against the alleged tampering of EVMs. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also alleged that EVMs may have been tampered with in Punjab. “It is about the credibility of the Election Commission and the faith of people in the electoral system. We have strong prima facie evidence of some foul play”. So far, no one has been able to actually demonstrate that EVMs can be tampered with or manipulated, the commission said. “What has been demonstrated or claimed to have been demonstrated is on a privately assembled look-alike of ECI-EVMs and not the actual ECI-EVMs”.

Electronics Corporation of India Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd are the two PSUs that manufacture the EVMs for the EC. The poll watchdog assured that its EVMs are tamper-proof and it is “fully satisfied with the integrity of electoral process using EVM”.