'No OTP Required, EVMs Stand-Alone Devices': Mumbai EC Official Refutes EVM Hacking Claims

The EC's response came in response to the police case against a relative of a Shiv Sena (Ekhnath Shinde) MP Ravindra Waikar for allegedly using a mobile phone within a counting centre. 

Returning Officer Vandana Suryavanshi clarified that voting machines do not require an OTP to function.

Source : PTI

A senior Election Commission official on Sunday refuted allegations over the Electronic Voting Machine hacking controversy saying that an EVM was a standalone system without any programming or wireless communication capabilities and there was no OTP (One Time Password) required on mobile for unlocking it.

Vandana Suryavanshi, returning officer of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, issued the clarification after a report in a daily claimed that a kin of Ravindra Waikar, the Shiv Sena candidate who emerged victorious by a margin of just 48 votes, using a mobile phone connected to an EVM during the counting for Lok Sabha elections on June 4.

There were claims that the phone was used to unlock the EVM. Opposition leaders, citing the report, alleged EVM hacking.

"There is no OTP (One Time Password) on mobile for unlocking EVM as it is non programmable and it has no wireless communication capabilities. It is a complete lie being spread by a newspaper, which is being used by some leaders to create false narrative," the District Election Officer Mumbai Suburban District said in a statement.

"EVMs are stand alone devices without any wired or wireless connectivity with units outside EVM system. Advanced technical features and robust administrative safeguards are in place to rule out any possibility of manipulation. Safeguards include conducting everything in the presence of candidates or their agents," the statement added.

On the Mumbai EVM controversy, District Election Officer Mumbai Suburban District tweets, "...There is no OTP (One Time Password) on mobile for unlocking EVM as it is non-programmable and it has no wireless communication capabilities...EVMs are stand-alone devices without any… pic.twitter.com/BgTrOfDuiB

— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024

Suryavanshi told a press conference that the poll body has issued a notice to the newspaper under sections 499, 505 of the Indian Penal Code for defamation and spreading false news. 

She said the personal mobile phone of one Dinesh Gurav, the data entry operator of Jogeshwari assembly constituency, was found in the hands of an unauthorised person and action is being taken in this regard. The official added that neither Waikar or losing candidate Amol Kirtikar of the Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought a recount but verification of invalid postal ballots was demanded and it was done.

"Data entry and vote counting are two different aspects. An OTP enables the ARO to open the encore login system for data entry. The counting process is independent and has nothing to do with unauthorised use of mobile phone, which is an unfortunate incident and is being probed," Suryavanshi added.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) leader Sanjay Nirupam on Sunday rejected the allegations saying that the Maha Vikas Aghadi is running a smear campaign against the ruling party. 

Police have registered a case against the brother-in-law of Ravindra Waikar for allegedly using a mobile phone at the counting centre in Vanrai on the counting day.

On the other hand, senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said the poll result of Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat must be stayed. He demanded that the Election Commission of India must call a meeting of all parties and discuss this issue thoroughly.

There must be a probe into the unauthorised used of the mobile phone. The FIR report has not been made public, Chavan added.