'EVM hacked': Congress flags '99% battery level in EVMs' in meeting with ECI
PTC News Desk: Following the huge setback in Haryana, Congress met with the Election Commission on Wednesday evening and filed a strong protest, saying that electronic voting machines had been hacked.
According to party spokesman Pawan Khera, the hacking took place in 20 seats, with documentary evidence given for seven of them. The documents for the remaining 13 will be submitted within 48 hours, he stated.
'We have demanded that all machines be sealed and protected until the investigations are concluded,' Khera told reporters. He stated that the party had given proof of hacking at Karnal, Dabwali, Rewari, Panipat City, Hodal, Kalka, and Narnaul.
"We informed the Election Commission about 20 complaints that have come to us, including seven written complaints from seven constituencies with some EVM machines functioning at 99 per cent battery capacity, while some EVM Machines were functioning below 60-70 per cent battery capacity," Khera said.
"Counting of votes in a fair, transparent and accountable manner is the hallmark of any electoral process that claims to be in consonance with the principles of free and fair elections and the doctrine of the level-playing field as envisaged by the Constitution," the party memorandum to the EC stated.
"How can the batteries not be depleted after so many days? It shows 99%. This is unnatural," the Congress leader said. He stated that the same complaints had emerged from 13 other assembly constituencies, and vowed to formally report these grievances to the ECI.
"We also told the EC that in the next 48 hours, we will make available to them other complaints that are being compiled," he further said.
A delegation consisting of key Congress leaders, including former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Gehlot, and AICC leaders K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken, and Pawan Khera, as well as Haryana Congress chairman Udai Bhan, met with top Election Commission officials.
While ECI officials told the delegation that their concerns would be addressed, Khera argued that "assurances won't work" and demanded actual evidence and explanations to back up the integrity of the electoral process.
“We need concrete answers supported and backed by evidence... What has the BJP got to do with it? This is between the Opposition and the Election Commission of India,” he added.
- PTC NEWS
