• News
  • India News
  • No anomaly or tampering found in EVM, VVPAT used during demonstration in Bhind: EC
This story is from April 8, 2017

No anomaly or tampering found in EVM, VVPAT used during demonstration in Bhind: EC

The inquiry team has found that the lapse essentially related to non-deletion of pre-loaded data of Govind Nagar assembly constituency of Kanpur Nagar from where the VVPATs were brought in and failure to reload it with symbols/data of dummy candidate before demonstration.
No anomaly or tampering found in EVM, VVPAT used during demonstration in Bhind: EC
The accuracy of functioning of the EVMs and VVPAT is beyond doubt, the EC has said. (Representative image)
Key Highlights
  • The accuracy of functioning of the EVMs and VVPATs including the said EVM/VVPAT is beyond doubt: EC
  • The lapse essentially related to non-deletion of pre-loaded data of Govind Nagar assembly constituency of Kanpur Nagar from where the VVPATs were brought in
NEW DELHI: The special inquiry team set up by the Election Commission to probe allegations of tampering of an EVM and VVPAT used during a demonstration in Bhind has found no anomaly or tampering of the said machine.
"The technical examination of the ballot unit and control unit and VVPAT of 31st March demonstration, oral examination of the officials present during the demonstration, data retrieved from the control unit have conclusively established that during the demonstration, four buttons of ballot were pressed...it is clear that on pressing of various buttons on EVM during the demonstration, corresponding symbols were displayed," the EC said citing report of the special inquiry team lead by Andhra Pradesh chief electoral officer Bhanwar Lal.

"The team in its report concluded that it is completely false to say that at multiple times slips of lotus were printed on pressing different buttons during the demonstration on 31st March as alleged," the commission said on Friday.
"The accuracy of functioning of the EVMs and VVPATs including the said EVM/VVPAT is beyond doubt," it stated.
The probe team was set up by the EC after video of the VVPAT demonstration at Bhind, in presence of Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer, showed an anomaly between the symbol on button pressed and one on the generated paper slip. The video had led the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party to approach the commission to press allegations of tamperability of the EVMs.
The inquiry team, EC said on Friday, has found that the lapse essentially related to non-deletion of pre-loaded data of Govind Nagar assembly constituency of Kanpur Nagar from where the VVPATs were brought in and failure to reload it with symbols/data of dummy candidate before demonstration, as per laid down protocol of the Commission. This necessitates appropriate action by the commission, it said while suggesting that responsibility may be fixed on the district election officer and returning officer.

The team further recommended that EC prescribe a check-list for handling of each activity relating to EVM/VVPAT, which should be mandatorily adhered to by the electoral authorities and monitored by the Commission. The revised checklists must be rigorously followed by the entire electoral machinery from the level of presiding officer to the CEO, it added.
As per conclusions of the team, EVM used in the demonstration at Bhind was not brought from UP. Only a VVPAT, that too one kept in reserve and not used in the actual poll, was used. It was clarified that redeploying VVPATs within 45 day of the poll in UP was not illegal.
As regards the comments passed by MP CEO Saleena Singh, the team said the EC may like to reiterate that there should be no room for casualness in handling electoral matters, "least of all, such unwarranted remarks, as the sanctity of electoral process forms the foundation of Indian democracy".
Singh was heard telling the media not to report the lapse as they may be put behind bars.
author
About the Author
Bharti Jain

Bharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA