Parties yet to finalise names for hackathon

NEWDELHI: None of the recognised national or state political parties have confirmed their participation in a session to test the security of voting machines, sources in the Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday.

The session, where people would attempt to break into electronic voting machines (EVMs), is scheduled for June 3 after parties such as the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Trinamool Congress said the machines can be tampered with to sway votes.

No party came forward to confirm participation, a day before the May 26 deadline to inform the EC, sources said. “We have not taken a call on whether to participate yet,” said Vivek Tankha, the head of All India Congress Committee’s legal cell.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has shot off a letter to the EC seeking more time. “They have given very short notice to prepare,” she said.

The commission has given the parties till May 26 to confirm their attendance.

Allegations that the machines were not tamper-proof centre around the BJP’s landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh.

The EC has consistently denied the accusations, and, after an all party meeting, announced an open challenge.

Jan Lok Shakti party spokesperson Sanjay Saraf told Hindustan Times that the party will not participate in the challenge as they do not doubt the efficiency of the EVMs.