EC to announce EVM challenge date today

Image: PTI/Representational

New Delhi: On Saturday, the Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule, venue and modalities of its EVM challenge. Coming out strongly against the allegations levied by Aam Aadmi Party over tampering of EVM machines, the EC is set to hold a live demonstration of EVMs and VVPATs on Saturday in the national capital here. The questions raised by Delhi Government, leave a serious question mark on EC’s credibility, therefore, the body would also address a press conference in response to the Delhi Government. This has come days after Delhi Government gave a live demonstration of EVM machine tampering in Delhi Assembly and showed that tampering is possible. The EC had trashed AAP's claim saying the 'machine is a look-alike and not the ECI-EVM'. The date of the proposed challenge would be decided after the all-party meeting. Some parties have demanded they be allowed access to the machines used in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. Serious questions were raised over reliability of EVMs and 16 parties urged EC to revert to the ballot paper system claiming faith of people in the machines has eroded. Earlier Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had said that “The EC will call a meeting of political parties to assure them that the EVMs were tamper-proof”. “The EC has placed an order for the supply of 15 lakh VVPAT machines and the same will be supplied by the two public sector companies- Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India (ECI)”. The issue was raised after AAP government faced massive defeat during Punjab polls.