"Allegation of a disgruntled police officer": ECI refutes EVM tampering allegation, seeks report

New Delhi [India], April 20 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) responded on Sunday to a viral video on social media. The video, also shared by Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, shows a former Police official in Maharashtra claiming that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being tampered with.
The ECI said the claim was made by a suspended police officer named Ranjeet Kasale and that it had no factual basis.
In a post on microblogging platform X, the ECI wrote, "Allegation comes from a disgruntled police officer (under suspension). Though strict legal admin. protocol in which EVMs are placed there is no possibility of removal of EVMs, report has been called from DM & SSP thro CEO considering its seriousness. Action(s) will follow the report."
The ECI's reaction came after Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav shared the video on X.
In his post, Yadav wrote, "The revelation by a police officer in Maharashtra that Rs 10 lakh was deposited into his account by BJP members to tamper with EVMs is a massive expose of BJP's grand corruption. Those who used to ask 'who would they earn for?' must have received their answer today."
On Saturday, a video in which Kasale makes allegations against the ECI regarding EVM tampering was also shared by the Indian National Congress on their official 'X' account.
Responding to the Congress post, the Election Commission said that the protocol followed in handling EVMs leaves no room for tampering. A report has been requested from the District Magistrate (DM) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) through the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), and further action will be taken based on the report.
"Allegation comes from a disgruntled police officer (under suspension). Though strict legal admin. protocol in which EVMs are placed there is no possibility of removal of EVMs, report has been called from DM & SSP through CEO considering its seriousness. Action(s) will follow the report," the ECI said in its post on 'X'.
In a separate post, ECI also shared a report on the incident, which stated that Ranjit Kasale, a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), was not on election duty during the Maharashtra Assembly polls. It said that the allegations were made with the intention of disturbing public order and encouraging violence.
"Official report by DEO and SSP Beed: dismissed PSI Ranjit Kasale was not on election duty during MH Assembly polls. The allegations are aimed at disturbing public peace & tranquillity, inciting people for violence against state. DEO directed to act against Kasale," the ECI's 'X' post added.
The District Election Officer (DEO) of Beed also informed the ECI that an FIR has been registered against Kasale for spreading false information about the EVM storage process.
"DEO Beed has informed that today an FIR has been filed against the dismissed Police officer for spreading rumours against EVM storage thereby jeopardizing the public peace and tranquillity by his statement on 17/04. ECI had asked for a report followed by strict action," the ECI said in another post.
The Congress party had raised several allegations against the ECI regarding EVM tampering following the Maharashtra Assembly election results. (ANI)