New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday rejected claims by Congress leaders of alleged tampering of EVMs in some Haryana seats where machines with varying battery strength gave out different results.
Referring to the issue over battery strength affecting results, the CEC said earlier allegations of hacking were made “but this has come up for the first time”.
“Now we are thinking what next will come, we can’t fathom. But certainly something new will come up,” Kumar said.
He asserted that around six days prior to the poll day, electronic voting machines are commissioned and election symbols of candidates are loaded and a new battery is installed which has signatures of candidates or their authorised agents.
“Leave alone EVM, even batteries (installed) have signatures of candidates. Even we were not aware (of this rule) as it was framed long back. Now it is helping us,” he said responding to a series of questions on the reliability of the machines and concerns flagged on battery.
He also said that people ask if pagers can be used to blow up people in some country, why can’t EVMs be hacked.
“Pagers are connected (to network), EVMs are not,” he explained.
Pagers sold to Hezbollah and Lebanese officials had exploded recently, triggering claims that their batteries were rigged with explosives.