Poll panel throws EVM ‘challenge’ to parties

The Election Commission (EC) on Friday formally threw a “challenge” to political parties to prove electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the recent Assembly polls were tampered with, after several opposition parties questioned their reliability and demanded going back to the paper ballot system.

Several major opposition parties had claimed that people’s faith in the machines has eroded.

While announcing the challenge at an allparty meeting convened by the Commission here, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi, however, did not mention any date for the proposed event.

He said parties can try and prove that EVMs can be tampered with even under strict technical and administrative safeguards as applicable during elections.

An EC official said the challenge will not be restricted to machines used in recent Assembly polls. “Other machines will also be available. But since allegations were regarding the elections, the CEC made specific mention,” he said.

This is for the first time that Zaidi or the Commission has gone on record on the proposed challenge.

“Although use of VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) with EVMs will ensure total credibility and transparency and put to rest all controversy, the Commission will, after Friday’s meeting, hold a challenge,” he said.

It will offer an opportunity to political parties to demonstrate that EVM used in recent elections were tampered with or that the machines can be tampered with even under strict technical and administrative safeguards as applicable during elections, Zaidi said.

At the meeting, most of the parties said future elections should be held using EVMs provided they are attached to paper trail machines.

There were, however, some parties whose representatives said their faith in the machines has eroded and the EC should revert to the old ballot paper system. While BJP, CPI, CPI (M), AIADMK, DMK, NCP and JD(U) clearly supported use of EVMs, provided paper trail machines are attached to it. BSP, AAP and Trinamool Congress said the paper ballot system was better and more transparent.