AAP claims vindication, exposes EVM tampering

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ANI New Delhi [India]
Last Updated : May 09 2017 | 5:28 PM IST

Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering row, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday put a full stop on all the speculations revolving around the same and gave a full demonstration on how the machine can be rigged.

During the special day-long session of the Delhi Assembly, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj got a machine similar to EVM and gave a demo about the same.

He said the entire game is about a secret code, which once entered into the machine transfers all the votes to that one party which is supposed to win.

"I have brought in front of you a machine which is exactly like an EVM machine. It is the machine which decides the mandate. This is the same machine by which people voted in 2014 elections. The Central Government is today dependent on this machine only," Bharadwaj said in the assembly.

Bharadwaj explained the two units into which the machine is divided. He then exhibited a small voting procedure.

He explained how each voter comes and presses the button opposite to the party symbol which he wants to vote for.

Bharadwaj then explained that a party candidate, posing himself as the voter, comes and enters the secret code. Once the code is entered, all the votes go in favour of that party.

"There are two units - control unit (which collects votes) and second ballot unit (the buttons which we press representing parties). This trust is the foundation of democracy of India. I want to show you that the foundation of democracy which is thrusted in this machine is something which I (a simple engineer) have been able to manipulate in 10-15 days. I will prove this in front of the assembly," he added.

"The control unit is with the presiding officer and the ballot is in the box where the voter goes and press button," he added.

Bharadwaj undertook a small voting procedure by giving two votes each to every party (AAP, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC) and Samajwadi Party (SP)).

He then pressed the secret code and then gave another eight votes, all to AAP. As per the votes, the maximum votes should have gone to AAP but the results were shocking.

The votes were as follows:

AAP: 2

BSP: 2

BJP: 11

CONGRESS: 2

SP: 2

Bharadwaj further said that the secret code is easy to enter as the ballot unit is covered by a cardboard box and therefore only the voter can see inside it.

Bharadwaj also condemned the enquiry report of the Election Commission of India (ECI) saying that it had no basis.

"I read the entire finding. There is no basis in that finding. It is shameful that it is the enquiry report of our EC."

He further gave examples of Bhind and Dholpur where EVKM were rigged and results were manipulated.

"I read Election Commission's site. I read many answers given by them. And we all saw on TV that how in Bhind, infront of journalists, DM, and candidates, any button which was pressed was showing only BJP's ticket. Thankfully VVPAT was connected with it."

Bharadwaj, in a challenging way, said that if they are given three hours with the machines where Gujarat elections will take place then the BJP won't even win in one booth.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

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First Published: May 09 2017 | 4:49 PM IST

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