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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Karnataka proposes EVM hackathon to check errors, restore faith in democracy
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Karnataka proposes EVM hackathon to check errors, restore faith in democracy

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge in a letter to the Election Commission, mooted a proposal to host an EVM challenge to test the machines for errors

Senior political leaders from various parties have alleged EVM rigging in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/MintPremium
Senior political leaders from various parties have alleged EVM rigging in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint

Bengaluru: Karnataka’s minister for information technology, biotechnology and tourism, Priyank Kharge, in a letter sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, mooted a proposal to host an EVM (electronic voting machine) challenge to test the machines for errors.

Kharge’s letter to the ECI comes at a time when allegations of EVM rigging have been made, especially after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh and ahead of the recently-concluded Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections.

The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has raised concerns over use of EVMs in the assembly elections in the state scheduled for later this year.

“The large scale use of EVMs over the years has also led many to doubt the technology and possibilities of it being hacked or compromised technically to benefit candidates of choice," Kharge said in the letter.

“I would like to propose hosting an EVM challenge, jointly hosted by the government of Karnataka and the EC, inviting important stakeholders of the scientific community like technocrats, scientists, corporates, R&D institutes, startups and tinkerers and not just political parties to participate in the testing of EVM’s for errors," Kharge further said.

Senior political leaders from various parties have alleged EVM rigging in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP in Karnataka has raised objections to the state government’s repeated requests to use ballot papers in the upcoming elections, alleging this is a diversionary tactic, and demanding early elections.

The BJP has tried to keep the pressure on Siddaramaiah and his government on issues such as deteriorating law and order, corruption and forcing an agrarian crisis among other charges.

Although chief minister Siddaramaiah had said that the election results in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh had no bearing on Karnataka, he had raised concerns about EVMs.

The EC has regularly issued advisories reasserting the effectiveness and authenticity of EVMs and VVPATs (voter verifiable paper audit).

However, Kharge said that VVPAT’s also need to be verified. “The SC verdict directing the EC to use VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit) along with EVMs is also a much welcome step to enhance the trustworthiness of our elections. But unless VVPAT is randomly verified with the EVMs, they too will fall suspect sooner or later."

Kharge suggested that 250 randomly selected EVMs be used for this challenge.

“If there are technical flaws, we can solve it together and if there are no errors, we restore the people’s faith in our democratic process," he added.

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Published: 02 Jan 2018, 11:53 PM IST
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