EC denies claim of 'cyber expert' that 2014 polls were rigged
Bharti Jain | TNN | Updated: Jan 22, 2019, 10:52 IST
HIGHLIGHTS
The Election Commission refuted the claims of an Indian "cyber expert" in London on Monday that EVMs were tampered with in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls
US-based Syed Shuja alleged that senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde's death soon after the 2014 polls was a "murder" since he allegedly knew about the "hacking"
NEW DELHI: The election commission refuted an Indian cyber expert’s claim on Monday in London that EVMs were tampered with in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, even as a political fight broke out with BJP claiming a “defame India” plot and questioned Congress leader Kapil Sibal’s presence at the event.
The claims of US-based Syed Suja, who also claimed that death of senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde soon after the 2014 poll was a “murder” since he allegedly knew about the “hacking”, were dismissed by the EC which is considering legal action for “public mischief” by spreading rumours and forgery.
BJP alleged that the “hacking horror show” was organised by the Congress and that the allegations in London were part of an effort to “defame” India and its electoral process. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Sibal’s presence at the press conference in London was not a coincidence. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi would have sent Sibal as their “postman”.
Congress avodied comment on the event but said since doubts about EVMs, even if uncorroborated, remain, there is no reason why the EC can’t count 50% of VVPATs to remove all misgivings. “That is our demand,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said. Congress said Sibal was in London on a personal visit and was invited to attend the press conference.
The unsubstantiated claims of a poll fraud in 2014, allegedly with the help of a telecom firm, were made by Suja at a press conference via Skype, organised by Indian Journalists Association (Europe).
Suja claimed to be a former employee of EVM maker ECIL and involved in design of the machines, though inquiries by EC revealed he was never a regular employee of ECIL. As to whether he was even on a contractual employment with ECIL, facts are being verified by examining records since 2009.
Suja went on claim that other than BJP, SP, BSP, AAP and Congress too are involved in EVM rigging.
EC, meanwhile, is consulting legal experts whether criminal charges can be pressed against Suja. The possibilities being examined include invoking Section 505 (statements causing public mischief) and Section 463 of IPC (forgery) since Suja purportedly falsely claimed having worked for ECIL from 2009 to 2014.
A senior EC functionary said claims of EVMs having been hacked in the 2014 general election and other state polls were absurd. He reiterated that EVMs are standalone machines with no wireless, internet or bluetooth external connectivity and has a one-time-programmable chip.
In an official statement, EC said EVMs were manufactured under “very strict” supervisory and security conditions. “There are rigorous standard operating procedures meticulously observed at all stages under the supervision of a committee of eminent technical experts constituted in 2010,” it added.
The London presser comes days after an opposition show of strength in Kolkata on Saturday, at which EVMs were again questioned by many party leaders and led to the formation of a committee comprising SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal, BSP’s Satish C Mishra and Singhvi to raise “faults” with the EC.
Suja, whose face was not clearly identifiable and his voice muffled, claimed he fled India in 2014 because he felt threatened in the country after the alleged killing of some of his team members.
He claimed a telecom firm had helped the BJP to get low-frequency signals to hack EVMs. He further claimed BJP would have “won” Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh elections if his team hadn’t intercepted the party’s attempts to hack transmissions in these states.
In a series of extarordinary claims, Suja said Munde was “killed” because he knew of EVM hacking in 2014 general elections. Munde died in a road accident in New Delhi weeks after the BJP was elected to power. He then said journalist Gauri Lankesh had agreed to run the story on his expose on EVM rigging, but was killed soon after.
He alleged that the NIA officer investigating Munde’s death, Tanzil Ahmed, was planning to file an FIR but was himself killed. However, Munde’s death was probed by CBI, which ruled out any foul play.
Soon after Suja's press meet in London, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated in a tweet that the opposition will take up Shuja’s claims with EC.
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