Will the EVMs decide the elections of 2019?
An Indian Cyber expert identified as Syed Suja, recently told a press conference in London addressing via Skype that 2014 General election in India was “rigged” through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He also claimed that Telecom giant Reliance helped BJP to get low-frequency signals to hack the EVMs.
Whether these claims may be outlandish or not, this is not the first time that someone is raising the issue of reliability of these voting machines in determining the outcome of elections in India. As far back as in 2009, LK Advani, a senior BJP leader expressed serious doubts about the integrity of these machines and called for a return to the paper ballot.
Moreover, powerful new voices added to the chorus now questioning the security and verifiability of the election using these machines. Akhilesh Yadav, a former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh urged the election commission to provide an alternative to EVMs and even called them a “threat to democracy.” BSP Supremo Mayawati asked for the return of paper ballots. Abhishek Singhvi, a Congress spokesperson, also expressed serious doubts over the credibility of EVMs and stated that 70 percent of the political parties had asked EC to replace EVMs with paper ballots.
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