New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) has rejected the Congress celebration’s declare that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used in the May 10 Karnataka meeting polls have been beforehand deployed in South Africa and requested the celebration to convey to justice “rumour-mongers” who focused it with false info.
In a letter addressed to Randeep Singh Surjewala, the AICC in-charge of Karnataka, the EC mentioned it had used new EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Limited for the polls in the southern state.
Congress Writes To EC Over EVMs
The Congress had written to the ballot panel on May 8, elevating considerations and looking for clarification over the deployment in the Karnataka election of EVMs beforehand deployed in South Africa and that too, with out going by means of the method of revalidation and re-verification.
“The concern arises from the fact that this Honorable Commission has deployed EVMs which were previously deployed for elections in South Africa. We have been informed of this by various sources including the fact all these EVMs have been received directly back from South Africa without going through the process of re-validation and re-verification by the appropriate software/mechanisms by the manufacturer i.E. ECIL as also certification by the EC. This puts in serious doubt the entire validation process of the EVM itself,” Surjewala had mentioned.
Citing data, the ballot panel mentioned the Congress had particular information that solely newly ECIL-produced EVMs can be used in Karnataka. It mentioned Congress representatives participated in every stage of the EVM motion and commissioning for the Karnataka polls.
EVMs Not Used In Africa: EC
The ballot panel asserted it by no means despatched EVMs to South Africa. It additionally mentioned the truth that EVMs will not be used in elections in that nation is well verifiable by means of the web site of the Electoral Commission of South Africa. “As such, there isn’t any query of any machine being utilized by the EC in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly election which had or may have been used in South Africa elections or for that matter anyplace in the world.
“All EVMs to be used in Karnataka elections, 2023 are new EVMs from ECIL. This fact is in full knowledge of INC,” the ballot panel mentioned. “The EC never imported EVMs from any country whatsoever,” the ballot panel wrote. It informed Surjewala that such a question raised by a Member of Parliament of “your standing” was shocking because the precise info was in particular information of his celebration.
The Election Commission mentioned whereas it’s duty-bound to answer to all questions of an MP representing a nationwide political celebration, “it has noted with concern that INC has chosen to rely on “sources’ and even thought of looking for a “clarification”, simply two days earlier than the ballot.
The EC famous that it held again a right away reply holding in thoughts the 46-hour ‘silence interval’ which started at 6 pm on May 8 and ended on Wednesday night. “The factual basis of the information provided by the “numerous sources” with regard to South Africa being clearly non-existent, categorically empowers INC, being the entity focused by the false info, to publicly expose such mischievous sources.
Take Action Against Rumour-Mongers: EC To CongressÂ
“Further, you may ensure such rumour-mongers are brought to justice so that INC’s longstanding reputation of a responsible stakeholder of the Indian electoral system is not dented,” the EC letter learn. The Commission mentioned it expects to obtain a affirmation of the motion taken by the celebration by 5:00 pm on May 15.
The counting of votes for the Karnataka polls might be taken up on May 13.
