None of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can be hacked. The question of tampering or hacking arises only when the device can be networked. However, EVMs are like simple electronic calculators that cannot be connected to any network, either wired or wireless, said MV Gowtama, Chairman and Managing Director, BEL, which supplies EVMs to the Election Commission of India (EC).

In the recent elections, wherever EVMs were used, there was no error between original EVMs and paper slates, he told newspersons at the DefExpo 2018, reacting to allegations from political parties that EVMs were tampered with in recent elections. BEL and Electronics Corporation of India are the only two companies supplying EVMs to the EC.

Evaluate, clearance

Gowtama said EVMs are produced by both companies in secured manufacturing areas and there are many checks and balances in systems and procedures to ensure that every EVM produced is traceable, auditable and ensured that the machines are 100 per cent safe to end users. The EC has a team of technical experts, including professors from various technical institutes, to evaluate and give clearance of device. The software that is programmed into the device is evaluated by third party agency. There are many administrative processes that ensure safe, preservation and usage of EVMs, he said.

“Voter-verifiable paper audit trail has been given as a confidence building measure. As an OEM, we advice, it is not required at all,” he said.

Overseas interest

Gowtama said the company delivered large numbers of latest version of EVM (M3) before March. “We will complete all deliveries by September end,” he said. Looking at the success of EVMs in India, many foreign companies, including Namibia, have evinced interest in using EVMs in their countries. “They have faith in our EVMs,” he said.

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