In Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leaders raised an alarm about possible attempts to rig the EVMs after a power cut at a Bhopal strongroom on November 30.
Md Hizbullah
Bhopal
December 10, 2018
UPDATED: December 10, 2018 17:27 IST
Congress workers present at the Bhopal strongroom have admitted that they did not see any tampering happen. (File image: Reuters)
HIGHLIGHTS
Congress had alleged that an EVM strongroom suffered a blackout two days after polling in MP
Congress workers present at the strongroom told India Today TV that there was no tampering
Madhya Pradesh went to polls on November 28, results will be out on December 11
With Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) becoming a political hot potato in almost every election now, an India Today TV investigation has found that not all accusations about machine tampering could be taken at face value, irrespective of the hype. In Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leaders raised an alarm about possible attempts to rig the EVMs after a power cut at a Bhopal strongroom on November 30 (two days after the elections on November 28) caused a CCTV glitch in the hall storing EVMs. "A report obtained from the Bhopal collector stated that CCTV cameras and an LED display installed outside the strongroom did not function between 8.19 am and 9.35 am on November 30 due to an electricity supply failure. Because of this, the recording could not be done during the given time period," the Election Commission clarified in its response to the Congress complaint. "An additional LED screen, an inverter and a generator have been installed in order to ensure continuous electricity supply." India Today TV started its own investigation to determine whether it was a security camera snag, as the EC claimed, or a tampering attempt as the Congress alleged.
SY Quraishi, former Election Commissioner said, "If the people lose faith in the electoral system that would be very." Accusations of a possible rigging sparked panic among Congress workers, many of whom swarmed the Bhopal strongroom to mark their protest. India Today TV's investigation found no evidence of any conspiracy to manipulate the EVMs. What it discovered though is more startling.
Our SIT reached out to the Congress party's election agents in Bhopal district, Sayed Shahid Hussain and Munnawar Ali, who had signed the strongroom seals on behalf of their party after the polling on November 28. The two men were authorised to inspect the jail hall housing the EVMs post the elections. Hussain, who was present at the scene when the power went off at the EVM strongroom, admitted that no tampering ever took place during or after the blackout. "During that period, only a technician went in to fix the problem. If I look at it deeply and take off my political garb, I'd say it was only a technical fault," he told India Today TV. Hussain, the Congress's Bhopal district general secretary, also vouched for the strongroom's impregnable security. "So who all signed the seals when the strongroom was sealed a day before," asked the reporter. "I am the one standing right before you," Hussain replied. "Were you shown them the intact seals again?" the journalist probed. "Why not? The collector knows me very well now. He knows me by my name. I have been in Bhopal for the past 25-30 days, when the machines arrived," the Congress leader acknowledged. "I have been authorised by the district Congress committee (for EVM inspections). That's what you need to look at. Leave the rest." Hussain ruled out the possibility of EVM tampering. "In my view, it's impossible," he remarked. "The strongroom is locked and guarded by the paramilitary. No one dares. They (security) are armed with 20 round rifles. They understand nothing but shoot at sight if they suspect something," he added. Hussain also confirmed that the strongroom had no other entrance for anyone to break into it. "Breaking in is impossible," he said. Hussain, however, confessed that the party leadership created a furore over something that did not happen. "Was the media hype created by the Congress party?" asked the reporter. "We just wanted an issue. But it worked in our favour. It alerted the BJP and the administration. Whatever we raised through the media, from an educated point of view, cautioned them against making any unscrupulous attempts," Hussain admitted. He accepted that CCTV cameras stopped functioning in his presence on November 30 during the power cut. "I was present there along with Munnawar Bhai from the North (Bhopal). He is a former corporator. Munnan Bhai from the BJP was also there," he said. The district collector, his deputy and the ADM were also present at the time. "Everybody signed off on the seals. I was not alone." Asked if everybody was shown the signatures the next day, he said, "You can go and see it yourself right now." Munnawar Ali, a former Congress MLA and another signatory to the strongroom sealing, also accepted that no tampering attempt was made on the EVMs. Ali admitted that authorities, on their part, followed the rules in securing the machines. "After they (the Congress leaders) created a ruckus on TV, I called two-three candidates... I reminded them that none of them came when they were asked to witness (the EVM transportation). I told them that they should have got the sealing done in their presence," he recounted. Ali confirmed that the sealing was done in his presence. "I am telling you everything happened in front of me. There are two main gates, then there's a gallery, then barracks 150, 151 and 152. My signatures are on every seal and it's visible on CCTV footage outside." He ruled out any manipulation attempt on EVMs. "If they (the seals) were opened, it would have left the part (of our signatures) torn."
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