Due to election rigging, milk has become milk and water has become water, will the opposition ever understand? , Opinion – Chief Election Commissioner clarification on Election Commission voter deletion EVM hacking voter turnout opns2
Hearing the views of the three most powerful opposition leaders of the country on EVMs, anyone would say that democracy is being mocked in India. In a meeting held at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on the occasion of the conclusion of Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had said that Raja’s soul is in EVM, CBI, ED, Income Tax. The then Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal had said in 2017 that I am an IIT-educated engineer and I can tell 10 ways of tampering with EVMs. Similarly, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav had said that even if I win the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and become the Chief Minister, I will not trust EVMs. This is when the Supreme Court, Election Commission and many opposition leaders are continuously expressing their confidence in EVMs. Even Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram also have full faith in EVMs. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah have also advised the opposition to work among the public instead of blaming EVMs. The Election Commission is also continuously giving arguments after arguments but the opposition blames the defeat on EVMs. While announcing the dates of Delhi Assembly elections on Tuesday, Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar today answered in detail the questions being raised on EVMs.
In the one and a half hour PC, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar spoke on Delhi elections only for 10 minutes. For the remaining time, for more than an hour, he responded to the opposition’s allegations like EVM, irregularities in the voter list and deletion of names of voters of a particular category. It should be expected that now questions will not be raised on EVMs. After Rajiv Kumar’s PC, no political party has yet raised any voice against his words. The only meaning that can be drawn is that all parties agree with his views.
There are many reasons for increasing voter turnout after 1-5 pm.
After the two-phase voting of the Lok Sabha elections, on April 30, Congress National General Secretary Jairam Ramesh had claimed that the voting percentage figures are released within 24 hours, but there is a delay in it. Besides, an increase in voter turnout is also seen. The same allegations were also made by TMC MP Derek O’Brien. Later, there was a flood of people making this allegation. CEC Rajiv Kumar told in very simple words that collectors go till 9:30, 11, 1, 3 in the morning and see the trend. The elections did not end at 6 o’clock and so how would the Election Commission be able to tell the number of voters. Somewhere between 5:30 and 7 o’clock, the officer goes and asks all the people standing in the queue to stay there. After that they finish the voting, seal the machine, seal the battery. Write 17C by hand, give it to the agent, get it sealed. Form 17C is given to the agents before the polls close. Obviously the CEC wants to say that all these works take time. The CEC says that they should reveal the number of voters at 6 o’clock or stop the polling at 6 o’clock, seal the machines or tell how many votes were cast. Form 17-C also gets updated slowly till night. Next day we do a scrutiny, call observers and candidates and revise the percentage.
Meanwhile, many times confusion spreads due to lack of information. Rajiv Kumar told that a news portal mismatched 5.5 lakh votes. Actually he did not know that postal ballots are not added in VTR. If just one news broke, then continuous news started running about it. Whereas when that news portal got information about postal ballot ad, it removed its news.
2. Do not give detailed recording of polling booth, but should give it when needed.
The central government had changed the election rules to prevent making public some electronic documents like CCTV of polling stations, webcasting footage and video recordings of candidates. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the government wants to hide election information. This is a well-planned conspiracy of the government. After this, on December 24, Congress challenged in the Supreme Court the rule to stop making electronic documents related to elections public.
Rajeev Kumar says that transparency is our fundamental basis. Signatures and names of voters are written at the polling station throughout the day. Its details are not given so that the privacy of the voter is not lost. If all these documents become public then it will reveal who was voted for. If this happens then obviously many people will want to avoid going to vote.
In the general elections, CCTV recording starts in the morning at 10.5 lakh booths. This is for us, not to give to anyone. If we assume 10 hours, then guess what, that is one crore hours. How much time will it take if one person sits to watch? It will take 3600 years, even if you watch it for 8 hours a day. Yours, mine, everyone’s faces, privacy of everyone’s voters will be exposed. If you give the footage of one assembly, there are 1800 booths. If you watch it for 10 hours a day, it will take 650 years.
However, Rajiv Kumar forgets that on this basis many facilities in the country will be eclipsed. CEC says that people misuse it. But the right to information is also being misused, so should there be a ban on getting information? This question will definitely arise.
3. How do voters’ names get deleted?
Former CM Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi had claimed on 29 December 2024 that names of more than 5 thousand people were removed from the voter list in New Delhi Assembly seat. After the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Congress had made serious allegations regarding the voter list. Not only this, in Uttar Pradesh, BJP had also complained about deletion of voters’ names.
Rajeev Kumar, while answering this question, says that it is sad to hear the allegations. The survey is conducted every year on January 1, which starts in October. 2-2 free copies of draft roll are given. The process of striking off anyone’s name cannot be done without personal hearing. If more than 2 percent happens at the polling booth, the officers will personally go and check. Where there is a fight for each vote. What would be the situation if such names were cut there? CEC says that if one or two names are changed by the BLO then there is a chance for correction.
But the condition of bureaucracy in India is not hidden from anyone. The law is all made. There is also a provision to protect everyone’s interests. But when such complaints are made by the ruling party, then it is understood how much difference there is between words and actions. But the complaint of cancellation of votes shows that the parties and voters at the individual level are not cautious about their votes. Everyone wakes up as elections approach.
4. How can a malfunction occur in EVM?
Despite repeated requests from the Election Commission, no political party came forward to explain how EVMs are hacked. There is an outcry only after losing the elections. After losing the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, Congress continuously attacked EVMs. CEC Rajeev Kumar says that symbols are put in front of the agents 7-8 days before the election date. There is an exemption for mock polls. Batteries are inserted and sealed the same day. The EVM is sealed in front of the agent. The seal is broken on polling day. Serial numbers are first checked at the polling station. Agents are present, mock poll takes place. The polling agent keeps track of the people coming and going. After the polling is over, the number of votes cast is given to the agents. EVMs are brought to the store room and locked. The seal is broken on the day of counting. It is asked to match the numbers from Form 7C. Only if found is counted. 5 VVPATs are also counted. After all this there is no possibility left. The High Court and the Supreme Court have said that EVMs cannot be hacked. There is no question of viruses and bugs. The election results cannot be affected by the virus.
There is merit in this argument of the Election Commission. If EVMs are criticized only to erase the shame of defeat. If there was no trust in EVMs, the opposition would not have contested the elections. Somewhere he has faith and that is why he only demands elections through ballot papers. Doesn’t fight for it. All the well-established opposition leaders openly trust EVMs.
