New Delhi [India]: The Election Commission (EC) has dismissed the Congress party’s claim that the electronic voting machines (EVM) used in the Karnataka Assembly polls were previously deployed in South Africa and also pointed out the “inaccuracy” of the information and “non-reliability” of the sources behind it.
The poll commission further asked the party to “publicly expose” the sources that spread such false information. In a letter addressed to Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, the EC while dismissing the party’s claim said it had used new EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Limited for the polls in the southern state.
It further asked the party to ensure that such “rumour mongers” are brought to justice “so that INC’s long-standing reputation of a responsible stakeholder in the Indian electoral system is not dented”.
The poll panel asserted that neither EVMs were sent to South Africa nor does that country use those machines.
It also said that Congress specifically knew that only newly ECIL-produced EVMs are being used in Karnataka,” it added.
In a letter written to the poll panel on May 8, Surjewala raised the “concerns” and “legitimate apprehension”.
Responding to the same, the ECI on Thursday said, “A prima facie assessment of inaccuracy of the information and non-reliability of the sources cited by INC, can be discerned from several facts. Firstly, EC has never sent EVMs to any other country, including South Africa, nor has it imported EVMs. That South Africa does not employ EVMs can be easily verified from information uploaded on the website of the Election Commission of South Africa.”
EC further said that the fact that only new EVMs produced by ECIL were used in these Karnataka polls, was communicated to Karnataka Congress through a letter written by the state chief electoral officer on March 29 in which a list of EVMs that had cleared first-level-check and VVPATs was also shared.
“Besides, as per EVM protocol, representatives of all recognised national and state parties are informed of the place from where EVMs are received and the process is videographed. In fact, party representatives are asked to be present at each process connected with EVMs, be it randomisation, commissioning of the mock poll,” it added.
The poll body also said that the above standard operating procedure related to EVMs to be used for the Karnataka poll, as per records of the Election Commission of India, has confirmation of participation by INC representatives at each stage.
The elections for the single-phased Karnataka Assembly were held on May 10 and counting will take place on Saturday.
