As the Congress party reels after its poor result in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh has raised concerns over the usage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), claiming they can be hacked.
In a post on X, Singh stated that any machine with a chip may be hacked. “I have been opposed to electronic voting machines since 2003.” Can we allow professional hackers to govern our Indian democracy? This is the key issue that all political parties must confront. Would you please safeguard our Indian democracy, Hon ECI and Hon Supreme Court?” Read the article.
He also published a post regarding countries that have abandoned the use of EVMs.
Sanjay Raut, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), also referred to the victories as a “EVM mandate.” According to Raut, the BJP’s victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan are the result of an EVM mandate rather than popular support.
“The poll results are surprising and unexpected, but we respect the democratic process.” When the mandate goes against your party, you have no choice except to accept it. However, the Madhya Pradesh results are not only surprising but also alarming to us. “The poll results in three of four states should be considered the EVM mandate and must be accepted only in that manner,” Raut remarked.
“I dare them (BJP) to hold elections using ballot papers and we will see the outcome,” he went on to say. The Rajya Sabha member urged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) investigate persons “who have doubts about the authenticity of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) and the way they work.”
The BJP, on the other hand, called the opposition’s allegations about the EVM “negative.” “The opposition must stop spreading negativity.” “They are disrespecting the voters by claiming there is a problem with the EVM,” BJP leader and Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told ANI.
The leaders questioned why there were no problems with the EVMs from 2004 to 2014. “When they won in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, they didn’t question it.” They also won Telangana. The opposition does not trust the EVM, the public, the EC, or the Court. “Rejecting public mandate in this manner demonstrates a petty mindset,” BJP MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said.
Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah MP, National Conference leader and INDIA bloc leader, said it was critical to maintain people’s trust in the machine. “I was Chief Minister when this machine was introduced during the Congress regime.” We had asked the Election Commission if there could be any “theft” at the time, and they indicated it was possible.
“A method for correcting this machine must be found so that people’s trust in it is maintained,” Abdullah stressed.