Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and Dalit leader Udit Raj claimed that electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be hacked and manipulated, although his party colleague Karti Chidambaram said that the EVM system is accurate and reliable, and “it’s time to stop blaming the EVM.”
“What is the reason that no developed country is using EVM? … if there is a chip, then it is not tamper-proof,” Singh said, claiming “selective” tampering.
On the congressional victory in the assembly elections in Rajasthan and other states, he said the party did not win as many seats as it expected.
The congressional leader, speaking after his party fared poorly in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, cited the recent US presidential election.
Udit Raj, who is the national spokesperson for the Congress party and a former BJP deputy from Delhi, also asked whether Donald Trump could have lost in the US election if EVM had been used.
“If the direction of the satellites to Mars and the Moon can be controlled from the ground, then why can’t EVM be hacked?” He said in a Hindi tweet.
“If the elections had been held in the United States with EVM, Trump could have lost,” he asked.
In another tweet, he took a hit at the BJP, saying he has been able to sideline Nitish Kumar with his performance in Bihar.
However, Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, said: “The EVM system is robust, accurate and reliable. This has always been my point of view. I stand by it.”
“There have been skeptics of the EVM from all political parties, particularly when the results are not in their favor. Until now no one has scientifically proven its claims,” he said on Twitter.
The Sivaganga congressional deputy said: “Whatever the outcome of any election, it is time to stop blaming the EVM. In my experience, the EVM system is robust, accurate and reliable.”
The EVM system is robust, accurate and reliable. This has always been my opinion. I keep it. There have been skeptics… https://t.co/ojRrzT6xxH
– Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) 1605002726000
“In the elections we won (1984, 89, 91, 96, 98, 2004, 2009, 2019) we got more than any of the other candidates and when we lost (1999, 2014) someone else got more votes than us. This is what it happened in Sivaganga, “he said.
When asked about the charges, the deputy electoral commissioner in charge of the EVM Sudip Jain told reporters that the machines are absolutely robust and tamper-proof.
“It has been clarified time and again that EVMs are absolutely robust and tamper-proof. Even the Supreme Court has maintained their integrity more than once,” he said.
Jain recalled that in 2017, the Commission had offered an “EVM challenge” to political parties.
“The integrity of the EVM is absolutely indisputable and does not deserve any further clarification,” he said.
The NDA maintained its leadership Tuesday night during the vote count for the 243 seats in Bihar.
The BJP was destined to overtake its senior alliance partner JD (U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, according to trends.
Several exit polls had predicted the victory of the Mahagathbandhan of the RJD, Congress and left-wing parties.
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