EC dismisses EVM charge; says EVMs never sent to South Africa

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Thursday dismissed concerns expressed by the Congress regarding the alleged use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) previously deployed in South Africa, in the Karnataka poll, by pointing to "inaccuracy" of the information and "non-reliability" of the sources behind it.
While clarifying that EVMs were never sent to South Africa, which incidentally does not use EVMs at all, EC expressed surprise at Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala seeking its clarification two days prior to polling, on source-based aspersions cast on EVMs in use in Karnataka. This, because the Congress as per EC’s records was fully aware that all the EVMs used in Karnataka poll 2023 are new machines produced by the Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), Hyderabad.
The poll panel said it held back an immediate response to Surjewala “to account for sancity of the 48-hour silence period”.
On Thursday, EC asked Congress to publicly expose the “mischievous sources” behind the “information” regarding alleged EVM redeployment in Karnataka without following proper protocols, while underlining that it was devoid of any factual basis. It further asked the party to ensure that such "rumour mongers" are brought to justice "so that INC's long-standing reputation of a responsible stakeholder in the Indian electoral system is not dented".
The letter to Surjewala sought a confirmation by 5 pm on 15.05.2023, of the action taken by Congress.
Responding to the "concerns" and "legitimate apprehension" raised by Surjewala, EC said a prima facie assessment of inaccuracy of the information and non-reliability of the sources cited by INC, can be discerned from several facts. Firstly, EC has never sent EVMs to any other country, including South Africa, nor has it imported EVMs. That South Africa does not employ EVMs can be easily verified from information uploaded on the website of Election Commission of South Africa, it added.
EC said the fact that only new EVMs produced by ECIL were used in these Karnataka poll, was communicated to Karnataka Congress through a letter written by state chief electoral officer on March 29, 2023, in which a list of EVMs that had cleared first-level-check and VVPATs was also shared. Besides, EC added on Thursday, as per EVM protocol, representatives of all recognised national and state parties are informed of the place from where EVMs are received and process is videographed. In fact, party representatives are asked to be present at each process connected with EVMs, be it randomisation, commissioning of mock poll.
“The above standard operating procedure related to EVMs to be used for the Karnataka poll, as per records of the Election Commission of India, has confirmation of participation by INC representatives at each stage," EC said on Thursday.