EVM hacking controversy: Elon Musk will have to be tutored by Election Officer Vandana Suryavanshi, taunts Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday alleged that the Mumbai North West constituency results where Shiv Sena nominee Ravindra Waikar won by 48 vote due to EVM manipulation is one of the most exemplary scams in the Lok Sabha election process.

“The BJP and its allies have won some constituencies across the country by wrong means. A good example of this is the North West Mumbai Constituency. These people have taken over the government and election system and committed scams,” he claimed.

Raut taunted that the Tesla and ‘X’ owner Elon Musk would have to be tutored by Election Officer of Mumbai Suburban District, Vandana Suryavanshi, who on Sunday ruled out malfunctioning of EVMs saying that the machines were standalone devices without any wired or wireless connectivity with units outside the EVM system.

Sanjay Raut said that the Election Officer had earlier declared the Thackeray faction nominee Amol Kirtikar as a winner but after that the vote was recounted and the fresh results were announced.

“Election officer Vandana Suryavanshi has a big hand in this scam. Now she is talking about technical matters. Basically it is not her domain. Elon Musk, the giant of the world of technology, should teach Suryavanshi. The biggest man in the world of technology is saying that EVMs can be hacked and these people (BJP) make different claims,” he added. Raut demanded that the North West Constituency Election Officer’s past should be checked, so also the CCTV footage of the place where the election result counting took place.

“The election officials should also check whose calls were received during that period and seize their phones. Relatives of Ravindra Waikar were roaming there. The Vanrai Police should probe the case thoroughly,” he said.

“The North West constituency results are mysterious and doubtful, so I think Ravindra Waikar should not be sworn in as a member of the Lok Sabha.

“This matter has not been investigated, people's doubts have not been removed, and stopping him from taking oath is true democracy. The Election Commission should prevent him from taking oath because he has won by stealth,” said Raut.