Allegations of EVM tampering made with criminal intent: CEC
Kolkata: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said allegations of EVM tampering are "more than unfair" and made with a "criminal intent".
The machines might malfunction occasionally, as does the equipment used for other purposes, but it cannot be tampered with, Arora said at the annual business conclave at IIM-Calcutta on Saturday.
"Malfunctioning is very different from tampering. The electronic voting machines (EVM) cannot be tinkered with. If you say otherwise, you have a criminal intent, which we deeply resent," he maintained.
Noting that two "highly reputed" public firms have designed the EVMs, Arora said, "The EVMs were made in a secure environment and distinguished emeritus professors of reputed institutes have supervised the entire process."
Arora was in the city to attend events organised by the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences and IIM (Calcutta).
Pointing out that opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Congress, levelled charges of EVM tinkering only after the declaration of Lok Sabha election results, the CEC said, "This is more than unfair. When you lose why make the machine a flogging object?
"The charges hurt the integrity of the Election Commission (EC) and those involved in the process of making the voting machines. EVMs cannot be tampered with, but they can malfunction just like the equipment used by you in everyday life," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a host of other opposition leaders, including TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray, have repeatedly claimed that Electronic Voting Machines could be tampered with and demanded a return to ballot papers.
Talking about the role played by the EC in conducting polls, Arora said, "Election is all about law and Constitution on one hand, and administration and management on the other. Every organ has its own importance."
The CEC, however, admitted that there were a few "black sheep", who had to be replaced.
"The poll panel had to make changes, replace a couple of officers, including one in West Bengal, during the Lok Sabha polls," he explained.
The commission was now preparing for the October-November polls in Maharashtra and Haryana, while elections to Jharkhand and Delhi are also round the corner, the 63-year-old IAS officer stated.
Heaping praise on election officials, he said, "You tend to admire each of them for their hard work and dedication. EC officials are protectors of common man. They will give you all the protection you need if any state government tries to harass you.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
