"ECI not ready to accept...": Congress' Rajeev Shukla backs party's doubts over EVM

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Congress MP Rajeev Shukla on Monday criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI), saying that the party had presented several demonstrations regarding the possibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) being hacked, but the election body didn't accept it.
Speaking to ANI, Shukla said, "We have given a demo to the Election Commission several times, but they aren't ready to accept it. They start fighting with those who meet them in a delegation and argue with them. The main issue is that the Election Commission is not ready to accept."
The Congress party raised 'doubts' about EVMs after its losses in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The party even met with the Election Commission to express doubts about the electoral process in Maharashtra.
Earlier in the day, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee disagreed with Congress on its stand over EVMs. He dismissed the allegations as "just random statements" and demanded that those raising such concerns demonstrate how the EVMs can be "hacked."
"The people who raise questions about EVMs, if they have any evidence, should go and show a demo to the Election Commission. If the work is done properly during the EVM randomization and the booth workers check during mock polls and counting, then I don't think there is any substance in these allegations," he said.
"If still someone feels that EVMs can be hacked, then they should meet the Election Commission and show how EVMs can be hacked...Nothing can be done by just making random statements," he added.
Clarifying the party's stance, Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat said that while the INDIA bloc has several partners with differing opinions, Congress's position on EVMs is clear.
In a veiled attack on the ECI, Bhagat said, "The INDIA bloc has several partners, and they have their own opinions, but Congress party's opinion is very clear in this. EVMs are important to us, but for those who are operating it, their nature is suspicious..."
Congress leader Kiran Kumar Chamala said that while the INDIA bloc parties may have different views, Congress continues to have doubts about EVMs and the entire election process.
"Regarding EVMs and the entire election process, we have our doubts, and we have expressed them. We are all in the INDIA bloc, but even our alliance parties have their own opinions. We have raised our issues...BJP is capable of doing anything," Chamala said. (ANI)