EVMs tampered, all votes will go to my party, says BJP MLA

Chandigarh : The Election Commission has served a notice to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Assandh in Haryana over his purported video remark that he had tampered the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and every vote would go to his party.

Taking cognisance, the poll panel has appointed former Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi as a special observer for the constituency in the Karnal district, according to Joint Chief Electoral Officer Inder Jeet.

In the video, Bakshish Virk was heard saying he and his supporters had tampered EVMs in a way that every vote would go to the BJP, irrespective of the button the voters pressed.

He said they would also come to know who they cast their vote for. "We have sought a reply from the BJP candidate," District Election Officer Vinay Pratap Singh said.

Congress leader and former MP Deepender Hooda tweeted Virk's video.

Virk dubbed it as a "fake video" and alleged that it was a conspiracy by his opponents to defame him and his party.

After the video circulated on social media, the Election Commission took cognizance and issued a showcause notice to Virk," Haryana's Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dr Inder Jeet said over phone.

In the video, Virk also purportedly tells a small gathering of his supporters, "We will come to know who has voted for whom, there should be no misconception about this...." Virk, however, claimed that he never said anything about EVMs .

"A fake video has been made viral. Some mediaperson has done this act and twisted the entire thing. I respect the Election Commission and have faith in EVMs. I never said anything about the voting machines.

"There is no truth in the allegations which are being levelled. It is a conspiracy to defame me and my party," he said.

Hitting out at the BJP, Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja said the the saffron party "knows that it will be rejected by the people" and that is why its MLA was making such remarks.

Congress leader Shamsher Gogi and JJP demanded that the EC should cancel Virk's candidature. Haryana and Maharashtra will vote to elect their assemblies on Monday.