Why can’t EVM be hacked? Election Commissioner responded to the allegations

New Delhi: The Election Commission has announced the dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections. While the entire election in Maharashtra will be completed in one phase, elections in Jharkhand will be held in two phases. Voting for 288 seats in Maharashtra will be held on November 20, while elections in Jharkhand will be held on November 13 and 20. The results of both the states will come together on November 23.

While announcing these dates, the Election Commissioner also responded to questions related to EVM. He said that we will respond to the complaints received regarding EVMs in the Haryana elections. We will respond to each complaint properly and give it in writing. EVMs are checked not once but several times. Battery is inserted in EVMs only when it is commissioned. Election symbols are inserted in the machine 5-6 days before voting and a new battery is inserted. The battery also has the signature of the agent. There is a three-layer security where EVMs are kept.

The Chief Election Commissioner also responded to the comparisons made with EVMs on issues like pager hacking. He said that the pager is connected to the battery, but not the EVM. CEC Rajiv Kumar said, ‘Some people even say that when the pager can be blown up, how can EVMs not be hacked? Such people should understand that the pager is connected, the EVM is not connected. He said that before the election, the EVM is checked at so many levels in the presence of polling agents that there is no chance of tampering in it.’

The Election Commissioner said that the EVM is also commissioned 5-6 days before the voting. During that time, the battery is inserted in it and the symbols are put. After this, the EVM is sealed. Even the battery of the EVM has the signature of the candidate’s agent. The Election Commissioner said that this is not a battery like a mobile, it is a single use battery i.e. a calculator battery. After commissioning, the EVM is kept in a strong room. A double lock is put on it. There is three layers of security.

Let us tell you that when the EVM goes to the polling booth for voting, the same process is repeated. Its videography is also done. Which number machine will go to which booth, all this is told. Its record is kept. At the booth, the polling agents are shown the votes cast in the machine.