Maharashtra's Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Kulkarni has assured the credibility of EVMs used in the recent assembly elections, stating they are tamper-proof and standalone devices.
He also confirmed that all 1,440 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) were verified, with their results perfectly matching the EVM counts.
A VVPAT is connected with an EVM through a printer port, which records vote data and counters in a paper slip to verify the correct recording of vote by the machine. VVPATs are intended as an independent verification system for voting machines.
He vouched for the credibility of EVMs, saying they are standalone devices with no possibility of hacking, an assertion coming in the backdrop of some opposition parties questioning the credibility of these machines and demanding a return to ballot papers.
Kulkarni informed that 659 cases related to violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) were recorded during the assembly polls and they were under investigation.
This was a significant rise from 366 such cases reported in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha polls, which were held in the state in April-May. The assembly elections were held on November 23.
Kulkarni explained investigations into the assembly election cases were being pursued actively and expressed confidence they will reach a satisfactory conclusion.
He noted that complaints regarding hate speeches and violations of the MCC were thoroughly investigated with some resulting in legal action under relevant laws.
"Maharashtra recorded 659 cases during the recent assembly elections, a significant increase from 366 cases in the Lok Sabha elections. Our investigating agencies did an excellent work during the Lok Sabha polls. Out of 366 cases, 300 were charge-sheeted. Similarly, for the 659 cases in the assembly elections, all investigations were being followed up, and I am hopeful they will also reach a logical end," maintained the senior bureaucrat.
Asked about opposition parties levelling manipulation allegations regarding EVMs and questioning their credibility and transparency, Kulkarni sought to allay their concerns and asserted these devices are tamper proof.
"These machines are standalone devices with no external connectivity, making hacking impossible. The chip in EVMs is one-time programmable, ensuring no changes can be made. Strict security and administrative protocols further prevent any tampering," he insisted.
Asked about the possibility of booth capturing in context of some videos that circulated in central Maharashtra's Beed district during the voting last month, the additional CEO asserted Maharashtra has no history of such incidents.
"These videos were either unrelated to the current elections or were not from the state. At 6 polling stations in Beed, disruptions were swiftly addressed, and polling resumed within an hour. Our team responded quickly, apprehending individuals who were attempting to disrupt the election process," he stated.
He said the introduction of EVMs has rendered such claims irrelevant as any disruptions at polling stations were swiftly resolved.
The new Checking and Verification (C and V) procedure mandated by the Supreme Court allows candidates to request verification of specific EVMs and VVPATs if there are suspicions of malfunction, he noted.
"In these assembly elections, we verified 1,440 VVPATs across 288 constituencies -- 5 per cent of VVPATs per constituency. All counts matched perfectly with EVM results, reinforcing the reliability of the system," Kulkarni said.
Asked about some EVMs showing 99 per cent battery charge and linking it with possible tampering, he said, "Regarding the power pack, it is important to know that it is not like a mobile battery. It has a lifespan of five years and a deep capacity."
"The Election Commission of India (ECI) has explained these technical details through information provided by companies like Bharat Electronics Ltd (one of the PSUs manufacturing EVMs). You can find answers about the power pack on the ECI website, particularly in the FAQs section," he said.
Using the power pack does not rely on voltage and one can verify this information technically, the IAS officer noted.
"The ECI also conducts VVPAT verification to build trust with the public and political parties. This process happens during the counting of votes. After counting, all votes from EVMs, a specific number of VVPATs from several polling stations are checked. The ECI has set a procedure for this," Kulkarni explained.
He sought to reaffirm trustworthiness in the entire polling process.
"They take five VVPATs from five polling stations in each assembly constituency to the counting area. People such as counting agents, candidates, and officials are present during this process. The VVPAT slips are sorted by candidate, and the votes each candidate received are counted. These counts are then compared to the votes recorded in the EVMs," the additional CEO explained.
The selection of these five VVPATs follows a clear procedure and it happens in the presence of an observer from the EC, counting agents, candidates, and the returning officer. To choose the VVPATs, a lottery is held and all polling stations in an assembly constituency are numbered, usually ranging from 1 to 250 or 300, he said.
"I want to emphasize the reliability of the EVMs," Kulkarni asserted.
