Congress chief Rahul Gandhi raised critical issues over the transparency of India’s electoral course of on Sunday, criticising Digital Voting Machines (EVMs) as opaque methods that lack scrutiny. Gandhi’s feedback come amidst a debate on the integrity of EVMs in elections in India and now overseas with Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk calling for a ban on the gadgets within the context of US Presidential elections in addition to latest irregularities reported in Puerto Rico polls.
“EVMs in India are a black field which no one is allowed to scrutinise them. Severe issues are being raised about transparency in our electoral course of. Democracy finally ends up turning into a sham and susceptible to fraud when establishments lack accountability,” Gandhi asserted, sharing a media report on social media.
EVMs in India are a “black field,” and no one is allowed to scrutinize them.
Severe issues are being raised about transparency in our electoral course of.
Democracy finally ends up turning into a sham and susceptible to fraud when establishments lack accountability. pic.twitter.com/7sdTWJXOAb
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 16, 2024
The report by Noon highlighted a controversial incident involving a relative of a Shiv Sena candidate in Maharashtra who allegedly possessed a telephone able to unlocking an EVM. “Throughout investigations, the Vanrai police has discovered that the accused Mangesh Pandilkar, relative of Ravindra Waikar- Shiv Sena candidate who received the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat by 48 votes was utilizing the telephone which was related to the Digital Voting Machine (EVMs). Police mentioned this cell phone was used for producing the OTP that unlocked the EVM machine, which was used contained in the NESCO Centre on June 4,” it said.
The previous Congress president on Sunday quoted a submit by Elon Musk on X (previously Twitter), through which the tech mogul advocated for the elimination of EVMs. “The danger of being hacked by people or AI, whereas small, remains to be too excessive,” Musk said.
This debate has been gaining momentum in India, with opposition events demanding a full rely of the VVPAT slips together with the EVM votes, a request that was not granted.
Samajwadi Celebration chief Akhilesh Yadav echoed Gandhi’s sentiments, suggesting that know-how ought to resolve issues moderately than create them. “If know-how itself turns into the reason for hassle, it needs to be stopped. When world-renowned know-how specialists are brazenly writing in regards to the dangers of tampering with EVMs, why insist on their use? We reiterate our demand to conduct all upcoming elections utilizing paper ballots,” Yadav mentioned.
‘टेक्नॉलजी’ समस्याओं को दूर करने के लिए होती है, अगर वही मुश्किलों की वजह बन जाए, तो उसका इस्तेमाल बंद कर देना चाहिए।
आज जब विश्व के कई चुनावों में EVM को लेकर गड़बड़ी की आशंका ज़ाहिर की जा रही है और दुनिया के जाने-माने टेक्नोलॉजी एक्सपर्ट्स EVM में हेराफेरी के ख़तरे की ओर… pic.twitter.com/evNAIxP4RG
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) June 16, 2024
Responding to this, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asserted that the previous Congress president can’t have it each methods. “You’ll be able to’t have it each methods the place when you win EVMs are a hero whereas when you lose EVMs are zero. Individuals perceive this coverage of the Congress,” he remarked.
#BREAKING | राहुल गांधी पर ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया का पलटवार
– चित भी मेरी…पट भी मेरी नहीं चलेगी’ : ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया
‘हुंकार’ @Sheerin_sherry के साथ | https://t.co/smwhXURgtc#HunkarOnABP #RahulGandhi #Congress #BJP #EVM #JyotiradityaScindia pic.twitter.com/Ncrpdx8nNq
— ABP Information (@ABPNews) June 16, 2024
BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar Contests Elon Musk’s EVM Ban Name
In the meantime, in response to Musk’s issues, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar defended the robustness of Indian EVMs, highlighting their distinctive design. “Indian EVMs are custom-designed, safe, and remoted from any community or media – no connectivity, no Bluetooth, wifi, Web. They’re factory-programmed controllers that can’t be reprogrammed,” Chandrasekhar defined, providing to offer a tutorial for Musk.
This can be a enormous sweeping generalization assertion that means nobody can construct safe digital {hardware}. Incorrect. @elonmusk ‘s view could apply to US n different locations – the place they use common compute platforms to construct Web related Voting machines.
However Indian EVMs are {custom}… https://t.co/GiaCqU1n7O
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) June 16, 2024
Musk retorted, “Something could be hacked,” to which Chandrasekhar conceded the technical chance however differentiated between theoretical and sensible threats. “Technically, you are proper – something is feasible with sufficient assets and know-how. However that is completely different from EVMs being safe and dependable in comparison with paper voting.”
Technically ur proper – something is feasible E.g..wth quantum compute, i can decrypt any stage of encryption, with lab stage tech n loads of assets, i can hack any digital {hardware}/system incldng flight controls of a glass cockpit of a jet and so on and so on. However thats a distinct kind…
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) June 16, 2024
BJP Nationwide Spokesperson Nalin Kohli criticised the Congress for what he described as a adverse narrative. “Regardless of the Congress get together rising its seats within the 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections, they proceed to lift questions on the functioning of EVMs. This reveals their solely agenda is an agenda of negativity,” Kohli remarked.
VIDEO | Right here’s what BJP Nationwide Spokesperson Nalin Kohli (@NalinSKohli) mentioned on Rahul Gandhi’s social media submit on EVMs.
“Regardless of the Congress get together rising its seats in 2024 (Lok Sabha) elections, they proceed with this narrative of negativity and making an attempt to continually… pic.twitter.com/PLeDb7VoYl
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) June 16, 2024
Figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the US have been pushing for a return to paper ballots to make sure election integrity. ALSO READ | ‘Remove’ EVMs: X Chief Elon Musk Cites ‘Excessive’ Danger Of Hacking By People Or AI