EVM tampering row: Congress complains as SP vote goes in favour of BJP in trial before MP bypolls, Election Commission orders probe

April 1: Following the media demonstration of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), which allegedly printed a BJP slip when Samajwadi Party button was pressed, leaders from the Congress party demanded a through investigation into the matter alleging the EVMs are faulty and can be tampered with. The trial on the EVMs were being conducted before the Ater bypolls in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress leaders alleged that the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) system generated a slip with the BJP’s lotus symbol when CEO Saleena Singh, who was checking the arrangements, had pressed the button for the Samajwadi Party candidate. The Election Commission has also ordered a probe into the matter.

The Congress party leaders have also said that they would approach the Election Commission for an inquiry. The Congress also demanded that by-elections to Ater and Bandhavgarh should be held via ballot paper and not EVMs.

The demand to do away with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) intensified on Saturday after a video demonstrating faults in the machines went viral ahead of an assembly by-election in Madhya Pradesh. However, Singh claimed that the machines were not calibrated. “When you have a fully calibrated machine, this cannot happen like this. But they (journalists) misrepresented the facts without trying to understand the whole issue,” said Saleena Singh. In the video, Singh was also heard saying that if the reporters circulate this, they will have to face police detention.

Following the video, the poll panel has ordered an inquiry into the matter. “We have sought a detailed report from district election officer and would come up with a response in the evening,” an EC spokesperson said.