‘Election Commission has full faith in use of Electronic Voting Machines’

NEW DELHI: Refuting the Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh’s allegations on Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) and Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the Election Commission of India (ECI) said that the Commission has “full faith” in the use of EVMs in the election.

The reply comes after Jairam Ramesh wrote a letter to the Election Commission seeking an appointment to meet the delegation of INDIA bloc leaders to discuss the issue of Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT).

Responding to Congress leader, the ECI stands firm asserting that literature in the public domain on EVM including the latest updated FAQs (85 Questions) answers all reasonable and legitimate aspects of the use of EVMs adequately and comprehensively.

“Rule 49A and 49M of Conduct of Election Rules 1961 governing VVPAT and handling of paper slips were introduced by INC on August 14, 2013.”

“While responding to an earlier letter dated 09.08.2023, ECI earlier also on 23.08.2023 comprehensively addressed all queries and detailed material including updated FAQs, EVM Manual, Powerpoint presentation on EVM, Status paper on EVM, legal backing of the EVM ecosystem and the judicial validation through various judgments of Supreme Court and various High Courts over a credible 40 years journey of EVMs,” it said.

The Commission further said that the recent letter dated December 30, 2023, does not raise any un-responded issue on EVM/VVPAT.

“Memorandum dated August 9, 2023, has already been duly replied on August 23, 2023. Further, para wise reply to issues raised due to incorrect and inadequate appreciation of material available in the public domain in a follow-up letter dated 2nd October 2023 by Omar Hooda, in an individual capacity, is further replied by Annexure I to this letter covering all aspects of EVMs like non-tampering, non-hacking, microcontrollers, end-to-end verifiability, legal provisions, counting, technical competency, manufacturing, source code etc,” ECI responded to Congress leader.

They further stated that it is reiterated that material made available by ECI in the public domain on EVMs, including the latest updated FAQs, adequately and comprehensively covers all reasonable and legitimate aspects of the use of EVMs in the Indian election.

“The current letter dated 30th December 2023, said to be in sequence of the earlier letters, has no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications,” it said.

The Election body further stated that current EVMs in use in Indian elections are compliant with the extant legal framework created and strengthened by the successive Union Governments of the day and jurisprudence evolved over 40 years by the Constitutional Courts of India.

“Anything beyond existing legal framework and established jurisprudence is beyond the singular domain of the Commission,” it added.

“It is not out of place to mention Writ Petition (Civil) 6635/2021 and CM 20855/2021 in Delhi High Court and SLP (Civil) 16870/2022 filed against use of EVM/VVPATs in Indian election, wherein High Court and Supreme Court of India had not only dismissed the petitions but imposed cost of Rs 10,000/- and Rs 50,000/- respectively on the petitioner for filing publicity seeking frivolous petition,” it said. (IANS)

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