Don’t blame EVMS for poll defeats, says CEC
PLAIN SPEAK Says those alleging tampering seeking a scapegoat
THE CEC SAID THAT IN JULY 2017, THE EC HAD CONVENED AN ALLPARTY MEETING We will take steps not to disclose the identity of people who send such videos. The app empowers the common man to send complaints with evidences OP RAWAT, Chief Election Commissioner
KOLKATA: Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat on Saturday assured that the identity of those exposing electoral malpractices through the commission’s mobile app will be protected.
The mobile app introduced by the Election Commission (EC) on a pilot basis in the recently held Karnataka assembly elections received 780 video complaints of electoral malpractices, he said.
“We will take steps not to disclose the identity of persons who are sending such videos to the Commission.
The mobile app empowers the common man to send complaints with evidences,” Rawat said at an interaction organised by MCCI here.
The Election Commission (EC) would ascertain the latitude and longitude of the place from where the video was sent and take prompt action. This system will be followed from now on, he said.
Asked to comment on complaints of tampering of EVMS by political parties, the CEC emphatically said “there is absolutely nothing to doubt the integrity of the system”. “Alle- gations made against EVMS by the political parties are a means of seeking a scapegoat route,” Rawat said.
The CEC said that in July 2017, the EC had convened an all-party meeting and announced that all future polls would be conducted with VVPAT equipped EVMS.
“Use of these two will be hundred per cent. There is no question of going back to ballot papers,” he said.
SIMULTANEOUS POLLS
On simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls, Rawat said it would require changes in the Constitution, law and logistics. “All this was conveyed to the government,” the CEC said, adding that theelection Commission (EC) , as per the law, cannot issue notification six months before the expiry of a House.
On the issue of electoral management, Rawat said the commission was working on a code of conduct for social media platforms to prevent harvesting of data like in the case of Cambridge Analytica. Rawat also spoke about delisting political parties that are not active. “Under the plenary power, we have started delisting political parties that are not active,” he said, adding that theelection Commission (EC) is not empowered by the law to deregister political parties.