EVMs safe, says EC, rubbishes tampering claims

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday rejected reports of alleged EVM tampering saying these were “absolutely false” and said all machines used in the elections are safe in strongrooms. The EC also made a 24x7 EVM control room at its headquarters to monitor c-omplaints relating to polled EVMs.


The control room will receive complaints related to storage issues at strongrooms, security, permissions to candidates to post their agents at strongrooms, CCTV monitoring, movement of EVMs, and any complaints during counting related to EVMs.

The EC clarification came after allegations and some social media posts and video clips claiming that EVMs were being changed in strongrooms in UP and Bihar. “Election Commission of India would like to emphatically and unambiguously clarify that all such reports and allegations are absolutely false, and factually incorrect. The visuals seen viral on media do not pertain to any EVMs used during the elections,” it said.

The EC said aspersions in clips being used in media merely pertain to the storage or movement of reserve unused EVMs.“However, any case of lapse is thoroughly investigated,” it said.

Earlier in the day allegations of EVMs being tampered with or being transported in some parts of UP, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana surfaced along with video clips. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted, “Visuals and claims of sudden movement of EVMs observed across north India! Why is it so? Who is transporting these EVMs & Why? What is purpose and objective of this exercise? In order to avoid any confusion & misconception, EC must issue a statement ASAP.”

The EC said after the close of elections, all polled EVMs and VVPATs are brought under security cover to the designated strongrooms, which is sealed with double locks, in the presence of the candidates and EC observers. “The entire process is covered under videography. Continuous CCTV coverage is done till completion of counting. Each strongroom is guarded with round-the-clock security by

Central Armed Police Forces

. Further, the candidates or their designated agents remain present at the strongroom for 24X7 vigil at all times,” an official statement from EC said.

It said on counting day, strongrooms are opened in the presence of candidates or agents while being videographed. Before counting begins, the counting agents are shown address tags, seals and serial number of the EVMs.