EVM tampering reports spark political row; onus on EC, says a concerned Pranab

Barely two days before the Lok Sabha vote count, a political row erupted Tuesday over reports of alleged tampering of EVMs and a concerned former President Pranab Mukherjee also stepped in to say the onus is on the Election Commission to put all speculation around these voting machines to rest.

Already locked in a battle with the EC over the reliability of the Electronic Voting Machines(EVM), the opposition also got fresh ammunition to press for their demand of increasing the tallying the paper trail of votes (VVPATs) with EVM figures after protests broke out in some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

The protests erupted after videos of alleged movement and tampering of EVMs went viral on social media, a charge dismissed by the EC as "frivolous" and "unfounded". The EC also said the voting machines used for the seven-phase polls that began on April 11 and ended on May 19 are "absolutely safe" in strongrooms.

Reacting to the protests, the Congress said the EC should take immediate and effective steps to address the complaints of movement of EVMs from strongrooms in various parts of the country.

Amid allegations and complaints that fresh EVMs were being switched with those used in elections ahead of counting of votes on Thursday, the Commission came out with a statement to "emphatically and unambiguously" clarify that all such reports and allegations are "absolutely false, and factually incorrect."
Exit polls have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre,