Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar spoke about the security of electronic voting machines (EVMs) while announcing the poll schedule for Maharashtra and Jharkhand on Tuesday.
Kumar addressed public concerns regarding the potential for EVMs to be hacked, noting, “People ask if pagers can be used to blow up people in some country, why can’t EVMs be hacked? Pagers are connected (to network), EVMs are not.” This comment followed recent reports of pagers allegedly rigged with explosives sold to Hezbollah and Lebanese officials.
In light of complaints received during the recent assembly polls in Haryana, Kumar said, “We will give detailed responses to each of the complaints and put our response in the public domain.” He also dismissed allegations from Congress leaders regarding tampering, particularly the claim that varying battery strengths led to different election results.
The CEC pointed out that EVM batteries are “single-use,” akin to those in calculators. “They cannot be recharged like cellphone batteries … They have a life,” he explained. He further detailed that new batteries are installed days before elections, accompanied by signatures from candidates or their authorised agents to ensure transparency.
Kumar elaborated on the security protocols surrounding EVMs, explaining, “When the EVMs are sealed, they will be double locked, there will be a three-layer security.” He noted that the presence of Central Armed Police Forces and observers is mandatory during this process, which is also recorded on video.
Responding to recent claims of battery-related discrepancies in election outcomes, Kumar quipped, “Now we are thinking what next will come, we can’t fathom. But certainly something new will come up.”
He explained that the control unit of EVMs functions properly with battery voltage above 5.8 volts, with initial voltage ranging from 7.5 to 8 volts.
The CEC also mentioned that a detailed FAQ would be released to address stakeholder concerns and clarify the voting process. This comes in response to allegations from Congress leaders, including party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who claimed a conspiracy based on battery performance influencing election results.
While Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase on November 20, Jharkhand will vote in two phases on November 13 and 20. Counting of votes will take place on November 23.