Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) check
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 21 2013:
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were checked today at Thoubal DC office ahead of the next Lok Sabha election but Opposition parties were not satisfied with the manner in which the checking was done.
Speaking to media persons at Irabot Bhavan here this afternoon, CPI State secretary Dr M Nara said that EVMs were checked today for Thoubal district in the strong room of the DC office in accordance to a directive of the Election Commission of India.
Representatives of CPI, BJP and Trinamool Congress, and engineers of Bharat Electronic Limited and Electronic Corporation Limited were present when the EVMs were checked.
The CPI team included one computer expert namely Ashakumar.
As the EVMs were being checked, CPI representatives asked permission to take photographs of memory chips and their positions but they were denied any such permission by the DC and the engineers.
When memory chips and other components were not properly checked, and people were not allowed to take photographs of the components, authenticity and reliability of EVMs are questionable.
Moreover, several cases are pending in Court regarding the reliability of EVMs.
Refusal of the DC and engineers to take photographs of EVM components led to heated argument between opposition parties and the engineers.
Subsequently, the opposition parties left the DC office without signing the attendance register.
Saying that EVMs would be checked for every district , Dr Nara appealed to all political parties as well as the general public to be watchful when the EVMs are checked.
Political parties need to bring computer experts of their own while going to EVM checkings, Dr Nara said.