Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar explained that the batteries put in EVMs are single-use batteries, and the signatures of each political party’s representative are also taken on them.
Dismissing allegations of ‘varying EVM battery levels’, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said Electronic Voting Machines are totally “safe and robust,” and have batteries like a calculator, not like a mobile which will be charged everyday.
CEC Kumar explained that EVMs had three-layered security including the batteries and in each level signatures of political party representatives were taken to ensure transparency.
“People also ask, if pagers can be hacked then why can’t EVMs be hacked? Pagers are connected but EVMs are not,” he said during a press conference while announcing the poll dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections on Tuesday.
Notably, Israel had hacked pagers of terrorist outfit Hezbollah.
He explained that the batteries put in EVMs are single-use batteries, and the signatures of each political party’s representative are also taken on them.
“This is a single use battery… like a calculator, not like a mobile which will be charged everyday. One battery can be used for around five years,” the CEC said.
“When a machine is commissioned, the battery is put on that day, this is done five or six days before voting. .. even on the battery there are signatures of party representatives. We also do not know when we made this rule, but now it is useful to us,” he said.
CEC Kumar also explained that EVMs had three-layered security and signatures of political party representatives were taken to ensure transparency.
“When the EVMs are sealed, they will be double locked, there will be a three-layer security, where CAPF must be there, and observers will be there too. On the day of polling the whole process will be repeated and it is also videographed,” he added.
“This sort of system, with public disclosure, participation, please tell me where else is there such a robust system,” Mr Kumar added.