Earlier this week, a self-proclaimed “cyber expert” claimed in London that the electronic voting machines (EVM) used in elections in India could be hacked. He alleged that the BJP had won the 2014 general election by manipulating the EVMs. The allegations made at the press conference do not add up to anything and this is not the first time such incredible claims have been made. Despite the recurring controversy, no tangible evidence has so far been produced to warrant a serious examination of the EVMs or a rethink of the EVM-aided poll process.
Ever since the 2004 general election, when the poll process first shifted to EVMs, spectres have been raised about the security of the machines. For instance, after the 2009 general election, the BJP claimed it lost the election because the EVMs had been compromised. Political parties have frequently sought to blame their electoral losses on voting machines.
At various times, players like the BJP, Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party have targeted EVMs and cast aspersions on the independence of the EC. In turn, the EC has explained why it is impossible for any party to manipulate the machines at the time of voting or thereafter. The commission has diligently responded to questions raised about its infrastructure and capabilities to hold a fool-proof election because it realises what is at stake — these charges can potentially damage the trust of voters in the electoral process itself.
The EC has since introduced the VVPAT machines that provide a paper trail as a second protective layer to allay doubts that the process could be corrupted.
The presence of senior Congress leader and former Union minister Kapil Sibal at the London press conference has raised serious questions. With the general election round the corner, the Congress must be especially careful not to lend credence to voices that spin conspiracy theories around the EVMs. No institution is beyond scrutiny, of course. But it is not without reason that the EC remains one of India’s most trusted institutions. If questions are posed to such a body without due diligence, and if the Congress is seen to associate itself with them, the party will only cause harm to its own credibility.
