EVMs can't be destroyed even during a nuclear attack: CEO

Hyderabad: Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana Dr Rajat Kumar has affirmed that the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) , used for elections in the country, can’t be destroyed even during a nuclear attack by rival countries like China.

Speaking at the chief guest at a one-day workshop for radio jockeys on electoral process at Hotel Haritha Plaza here on Wednesday, he said the enemies might defeat us but not the EVMs. The EVMs, made by public sector undertakings under rigorous and strict conditions, were all comprehensive, robust and tamper-proof. Once the chip was introduced into the machine and information fed into that, nothing could disturb the data in it later. 

“Nothing happens to the wonder machine even if it is mishandled, manhandled, dropped down or shaken”. Prior to the introduction of the EVM for elections, miscreants snatched away ballot-boxes and ran away, scuttling the polling process, and they “can’t do the same with EVMs”. 

The multi-session workshop was attended by jockeys from various private radios besides All India Radio. 

The CEO said, he, as one well-versed in electronics, checked up the various aspects of the machine and he personally believed that it was tamper-proof. The highest judicial body in the country, the Supreme Court, went deep into the several petitions filed against the EVM machine and delivered clear judgments in its favour. There was no possibility of any officer using the particular EVM to favour a particular candidate. The machines were being randomized multiple times before being used at a polling station. 

Dr Rajat Kumar urged radio jockeys to understand the various aspects of the elections, including software tools used, and educate the people on how to enroll themselves as voters; how to rectify the mistakes in the names and addresses in the voter cards; raise objections against duplicate; and false names in the rolls and lodge complaints online under C-vigil against code violations during electioneering. 

This kind of cooperation by the jockeys would improve voter enrolments leading to higher voting percentage, which would ensure a healthy democracy. “Implant the idea in the minds of people to vote as a duty”, he told them. He regretted urban apathy towards voting and the disconnect between the educated voters and the politician and sought jockeys’ cooperation in this aspect also through their programmes from morning to midnight. Unfortunately, the voting percentage in the recently-held Assembly elections was less than 50 in Hyderabad. But, democracy appeared to have matured in India as indicated by a higher percentage of 76 in Chhattisgarh despite Naxalite problems. 

He said participation in voting was vital to democracy. People could also opt for “Nota” button if they did not like any candidate in the fray. Such an action would, indeed, make the winning candidate to think that so many voters were against him and his stay as MLA/MP would not be comfortable. 

Joint Chief Electoral Officers Amrapali Kata and Ravi Kiran, spoke. E. Venkatachari, state level master trainer, made a power-point presentation. Mushraf Farooqui, Additional Commissioner, GHMC, and returning officer, Khairatabad Assembly constituency, held a display of EVMs and explained their various features. 

Interacting with the media later, Dr Rajat Kumar said that the district entry officer was punished, and police case booked in the case relating to a false voter card coming out in his name. The case was still being investigated.