In the recent assembly elections across five states, BJP secured significant victories in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, while Congress claimed victory in Telangana. Post-election, Congress has raised concerns about EVM machines, articulated in a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. The letter, written by Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on December 30, 2023, highlights various attempts by the INDIA Alliance to communicate its worries about EVMs and VVPATs to the Election Commission.
The letter outlines a series of engagements starting from August, with the INDIA Alliance expressing concerns about EVM hacking and seeking a meeting with the Election Commission. Despite multiple attempts, including seeking clarifications and requesting meetings, the panel’s requests were not met.
This skepticism about EVMs isn’t new for the Congress Party. Earlier, senior leaders like Digvijay Singh had voiced doubts about the vulnerability of machines with chips, stating concerns about the integrity of the democratic process. Singh also referenced the sudden shift in voting patterns during the Madhya Pradesh election, questioning how such changes occur when the electorate remains unchanged.
Sam Pitroda, another senior Congress leader, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the critical role of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the need for ensuring the integrity of EVMs to safeguard Indian democracy. Meanwhile, BJP has countered these allegations, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and suggesting that claims of EVM hacking hold no ground given the people’s support for Modi’s governance.
The repeated contentions regarding EVMs and the push for a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner showcase ongoing tensions between the Congress Party and the Election Commission, signaling a continued debate over the credibility and security of electronic voting systems in India.
