Congress distances itself from London presser on EVM hacking, demands 50pc VVPAT check in 2019 polls
New Delhi, Jan 21: The Congress on Monday distanced itself from the London press conference wherein a self-proclaimed Indian cyber expert claimed electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be hacked and the 2014 parliamentary election was "rigged", and demanded an investigation into the allegations.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said party leader Kapil Sibal was invited by a journalist and he did not represent the Congress party at the press conference, held under the aegis of the Indian Journalists' Association (Europe).
He said the Congress and other parties want that there should be a system in place to check 50 per cent of voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPAT) to reassure the country on the infallibility of electronic voting machines.
"The charges made are very serious. I cannot vouch for them or deny them, as they have not been investigated. But they certainly need investigation. These should be looked into with an open mind by the Election Commission," he told reporters.
On the BJP's charge about the involvement of the Congress in organising the event as it was attended by Sibal, Singhvi said, "Obviously, the Congress party had nothing to do with organising the press conference and does not know the principal actors and has no role to play."
He said Sibal has himself clarified that a journalist had invited him and he went, "but he was certainly not claiming to be representing the Congress party".
"But, I think this approach of shooting the messenger without looking at the message must change. And that is the sum and substance," he told reporters.
"Which is why the only demand in the short-time that is available before the 2019 elections is that now you have a 50 per cent sample check (of VVPAT) to at least give a great reassurance of faith.
"It will at best mean a little delay in the results. Is a little delay better than a grave doubt on democracy itself. This touches on the core of our democracy. So why can't we have a 50 per cent sample check," he said.
Singhvi said even before the London presser, all opposition political parties are extremely concerned about EVMs and "although in theory we would like to revert to the physical paper ballot, we understand that the time is too short to switch wholescale to physical paper ballot".
He said both in Kolkata and in Delhi, leaders have repeatedly asserted that there should be at least the use of 100 per cent mandatory VVPAT.
"What is the use of having 100 per cent mandated VVPAT paper trail in all machines, and use only one or three per cent sample check.
"All that we are saying is in view of paucity of time in elections, have at least a 50 per cent sample check to reassure the public," he said.
Addressing the press conference in London via Skype, the self-proclaimed US-based Indian cyber expert, identified as Syed Shuja, said he fled India in 2014 because he felt threatened in the country after the killing of some of his team members.
Shuja, who said he is seeking political asylum in the US, claimed the telecom giant Reliance Jio helped the BJP to get low frequency signals to hack the EVMs. He provided no proof to back up his claim.
However, he provided no proof to back up his claim.
The outlandish and explosive claims, made in a cloak and dagger manner, could not be immediately confirmed. He claimed he was part of a team at the public sector Electronic Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL), which designed and developed EVMs.
Although he appeared on screen through Skype, his face was masked.
In New Delhi, the Election Commission asserted that it firmly stands by the 'foolproof nature' of its machines even as it said it is examining as to what legal action "can and should" be taken in the matter.
In a statement released in New Delhi, the poll panel said whereas it is "wary of becoming a party to this motivated slugfest", it firmly stands by the "empirical facts about foolproof nature of ECI EVMs" used in elections in India.
The ECI reiterated that the EVMs used by it are manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), both state-owned, under "very strict" supervisory and security conditions.
It said there are rigorous standard operating procedures "meticulously observed" at all stages under the supervision of a committee of technical experts constituted in 2010.
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UP: Fake IAS officer marries woman, flees with Rs 15 lakh dowry
Gorakhpur (UP) (PTI): A newly married man fled with the Rs 15 lakh given to him as dowry by the bride's family, and it came to light later that he was an alleged serial scammer, police said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Pritam Kumar Nishad from Etawah, allegedly posed as an IAS officer to deceive the woman into marrying him. He is currently absconding with his sister, and a case has been filed against him for cheating, dowry harassment, and forgery, officials said.
According to the police, the woman's family claimed that they spent nearly Rs 30 lakh for the wedding that was solemnised on March 11.
The match was arranged through a matrimonial group, where the accused introduced himself as an IAS officer, sharing purported interview clips, office visuals, and photographs with politicians to gain the family's trust.
Despite initially claiming he would marry without dowry, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh shortly before the engagement. The bride's family paid Rs 10 lakh in cash during the engagement and the remaining Rs 5 lakh on the wedding day, the police said.
The fraud came to light on Saturday after the woman reached Etawah, and a wedding attendee informed the family that the accused was not a civil servant. When her relatives visited the address provided by him, they found her in a small rented room, while the accused and his sister had fled, the police added.
The woman has also alleged that the accused planned to take her to Goa and sell her, and accused him of inappropriate behaviour.
The police suspect that the accused may have been involved in multiple such marriages in the past. Based on a complaint lodged at the cantonment police station, an FIR was registered on Saturday evening.
Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh said efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
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