EC’s credibility is unquestioned

The Election Commission of India has finally thrown challenge to all the 16 political parties, which had cast doubts over its credibility and impartiality by attributing the victory of BJP to the tampering of EVMs, to hack EVMs. AAP and BSP were in the frontline among political parties, which alleged the tampering of EVMs. Bahujan Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party both were vocal in their allegations of hacking EVMs. They did not accept that they were rejected by the people. But the ground reality is that people in the recently held elections in five states, Rajourigarden by-poll and MCD elections rejected AAP. AAP was rejected in Punjab and Goa by the people whereas BSP was badly decimated in UP assembly polls. BJP got resounding victory in UP, Uttarakhan and MCD polls in Delhi. It is because of the astounding victory of BJP, both BSP and AAP alleged that EVMs were tampered. The allegation against EC about tampering EVMs is totally unfounded and baseless. AAP took the lead in alleging that EVMs were tampered. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal called a special session of Delhi assembly mainly for displaying and demonstrating how EVMs could be hacked easily. AAP MLA Sourabh Bharadwaj, who is an engineering graduate, demonstrated on a dummy EVM as to how it can be hacked so easily and quickly. He displayed and demonstrated that the hacking of dummy EVM in Delhi assembly, though from the day one EC has been rejecting the allegation outright. EC says that EVMs are full-proof and its security is immaculate. Its programming cannot be emulated nor can one hack it only because one has done so with dummy EVM. As many as 16 opposition parties held meeting with Election Commission and asked it to clarify their doubts and suspicion about the tampering of EVMs. Election Commission is one of the most trusted, credible and impartial organizations of the country. It has got laurels from world leaders for holding free and fair elections in India, which is the largest democracy of the world. Before this, no political party has ever blamed that it is partial and favourably bent towards a certain party. It is one the most important constitutional bodies of the nation. To cast doubt on its functioning is like putting our democracy to jeopardy. Without ascertaining the full proof security check of the EVMs, EC cannot use them. The most ridiculous allegation about the tampering of EVMs is that the opposition political parties like BSP and AAP have also won massively in the elections in which the same EVMs were used to conduct them. Mayawati’s BSP had won UP assembly elections with overwhelming majority in 2007. Kejriwal’s AAP won the Delhi assembly elections in an unprecedented way. It won 67 assembly seats out of 70. The same EVMs were used to conduct the elections. So, it is ridiculous to allege the tampering of EVMs in the just concluded assembly elections. EC has rightly thrown the challenge date, which is June 3, to the 16 opposition parties to show how to hack EVMs. EC is a constitutional body. It has rules and regulations and political parties have to accept them. The poll panel has rightly said that the EVMs need to be picked from its warehouses in Delhi at parties’ own cost. It also said that if a party fails to report at the allotted time, without prior intimation or approval, their challenge shall be cancelled. It said each political party will get to pick at least four EVMs of their choice from any four polling stations out of the five poll-gone states. The EVMs involved in the election petition or those sealed will not be allowed in the hackathon. The poll panel said that if the EVM becomes non-functional after the tamper attempt or if the tamper result is same as the one put out by EC or if the challenger violates the rules-set, the challenge will be struck down. Now, AAP says that EC has put forth restrictions with its challenge date. It is the prerogative of EC to take decisions to keep its credibility intact. It is a dangerous proposition that when political parties have been rejected by the people, they allege that they were defeated by tampering the EVMs on the behest of ruling political party. The behaviour of political parties will be rejected by the people. Otherwise, it portends bad omen for democracy.