Jammu, April 11 (BANN):The Election Commission of India (ECI) has strongly denied any possibility of hacking Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), saying that the machines are completely safe and function like simple calculators.
These machines are not connected to the internet, WiFi, or any wireless technology like infrared, making them impossible to hack.The clarification came in response to some international concerns, including a recent statement by Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence in the United States. Gabbard claimed her office found evidence of hacking in electronic voting systems.
However, ECI sources explained that other countries use complicated electronic voting systems which are different from India’s EVMs. These systems often involve private networks and online connections, increasing their vulnerability.In contrast, India’s EVMs are standalone devices that only record and count votes.
They do not rely on any external connection, which ensures their security. ECI officials also mentioned that these machines have been approved by the Supreme Court and are tested by political parties during mock polls before the actual voting.To add to their credibility, the ECI said that over five crore VVPAT (paper trail) slips have been cross-verified during counting in front of political party representatives, and all have matched correctly with the machine votes.
Earlier in January, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar also addressed similar claims made by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
He stated that while the US has never used EVMs like India, such remarks create unnecessary doubts during crucial election periods.The Election Commission reassured voters and political parties that India’s EVMs are secure, tested, and completely trustworthy.
