EVM tamper issue: EC to hold all-party meeting

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Saturday said the polling panel will soon hold an all party meeting to clear doubts raised by political parties over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) being tampered.

"The Election Commission will soon hold an all party meeting where we will explain to them how the EVMs are non-tamperable and secured under administrative and technical safeguards," Zaidi told reporters here.

His remarks came after several political parties raised questions on the credibility of the EVMs and their demand that the Election Commission hold all elections using the ballot paper system.

Zaidi further informed that the poll panel is chalking out a time frame to issue an open challenge to the public and political parties to try and hack the EVMs.

The Election Commissioner said that orders have been placed for the supply of the Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) that will be used in the forthcoming elections.

"According to me, India would be the only country where VVPAT will be utilised in every polling stations and it will boost voter confidence," he said.

"We have procured funds for paper audit trials and orders have been placed at the Bharat Electronics and the Electronic Corporation of India. Both PSUs will manufacture around 15 lakh VVPAT by September 2018," Zaidi added.

A campaign will be later organised by the Election Commission to spread awareness about VVPAT machines, Zaidi said.