'Stand by empirical facts about foolproof nature of EVMs': EC rejects hacking claims made at London event

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday rejected the claims of EVM hacking made at an event in London and is examining what legal action can and should be taken in the matter.

An Indian cyber expert, seeking political asylum in the US, has claimed that the 2014 general election was "rigged" through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which, he says, can be hacked.

Addressing a press conference in London via Skype, the man, identified as Syed Shuja, said he fled India in 2014 because he felt threatened in the country after the killing of some of his team members.

Responding to the event, the Election Commission in a statement said, "EC has been wary of becoming a party to this motivated slugfest. EC firmly stands by the empirical facts about foolproof nature of ECI EVMs deployed in elections in India."

"It needs to be reiterated that these EVMs are manufactured in BEL/ECIL under very strict supervisory and security conditions and there are rigorous SOPs observed at all stages under the supervision of a Committee of eminent technical experts constituted way back in 2010," the poll body further said.

Syed Shuja claimed that other than the BJP, the SP, BSP, AAP and Congress too are involved in the EVMs rigging.

He said the Election Commission and political parties were invited for his press meet, but only Congress leader Kapil Sibal attended the event.

Meanwhile, the BJP targeted the Congress for being a part of the "motivated campaign."

"Congress has a lot of freelancers, who sometimes reach even Pakistan to take help for removing Modi Ji.They are making a hacking horror show of their possible defeat in the upcoming elections," said Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

"Kapil Sibal didn't go by accident. He was sent by the Congress, by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi," he said adding, the event organisers were paid to tarnish the democratic process of the country.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today said the opposition will take up with Election Commission the claims made by the cyber expert that EVMs can be hacked.

(With inputs from agencies)