‘Checking proves it again': No EVM tampering in Maharashtra polls; Election Commission reaffirms after verification drive
NEW DELHI: The
Election Commission of India
(ECI) on Thursday reiterated that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are 'tamper-proof' and 'checking proves it again', following a comprehensive verification exercise in Maharashtra.
The checking and verification (C&V) process, which covered 10 assembly constituencies based on applications from 10 candidates, confirmed there was no mismatch in vote count between the EVM results and VVPAT slips.
In all cases, the machines, ballot units, control units, and VVPATs, passed diagnostic tests, the Commission said in a statement on Monday. The exercise was conducted under instructions issued on June 17 and carried out by the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra.
Eight out of the ten applicants, all of whom had lost in the 2024 state elections, were present for the verification. C&V was conducted on 48 Ballot Units, 31 Control Units and 31 VVPATs.
In addition, other contesting candidates or their representatives attended the sessions, according to the Commission. Two applicants chose not to participate.
Authorised engineers from the manufacturer ECIL (Electronics Corporation of India Limited) conducted the verification.
The process involved diagnostic tests to check for tampering and, where requested, mock polls to cross-verify EVM results with VVPAT slips. In all such cases, no discrepancies were found.
In constituencies such as 147-Kopri-Pachpakhadi, 148-Thane, 211-Khadakwasla, and 229-Majalagaon, diagnostic tests were conducted on three sets of EVMs each, based on candidate requests. All machines passed and were certified by ECIL engineers.
In six other constituencies, 188-Panel, 192-Alibag, 80-Arni, 119-Yevala, 271-Chandgad, 276-Kolhapur North and in three additional sets of EVMs from Majalagaon, both diagnostic tests and mock polls were held.
The mock poll results from the Control Units were matched with the VVPAT slip counts, and no mismatches were found.
However, the verification process in the Khadakwasla assembly seat, Pune, had faced a hiccup on July 25.
NCP (SP) candidate Sachin Dodke, who lost to the BJP's Bhimrao Tapkir, objected to the verification procedure and demanded the counting of actual VVPAT slips. When his request was denied, he halted the process and threatened legal action.
Election officer Yashwant Mane clarified that Dodke had requested verification of burnt memory from two centres, which was allowed and completed. 'Since the candidate refused to permit a mock poll (necessary to proceed to VVPAT counting), the process was deemed completed,' Mane was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The Commission reiterated that all verification processes conducted so far reaffirm the tamper-proof nature of EVMs, with all machines passing the tests and VVPAT counts matching the recorded votes.
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