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NATION JUNE 21, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8

INDIAN ELECTIONS 2024

Musk, hacking and toaster:

EVM row takes a dramatic turn with

allegations of OTP use

Tesla and Twitter chief Elon Musk has advised against using Electronic Voting Machines
and said that these machines should be eliminated

OUR BUREAU so he should say that the EVM ma-
chine was faulty everywhere and he
Mumbai/New Delhi
should resign and contest the elec-
mid a raging debate on Elec- tion again,” Shinde slammed Gandhi
tronic Voting machines, Ma- while addressing the media.
Aharashtra Congress President “According to him, where they
Nana Patole on Monday said that get good seats, the EVMs are fine,
ballot papers must replace EVMs and where they get fewer seats, the
and emphasized that the Congress EVMs are faulty. Will this happen?”
party has been constantly raising the Shinde added. Earlier in the day,
demand for ballot papers but the Labelling EVM’s as “black box” the
center has shown reluctance to it. Congress MP, Gandhi said that no-
The row was sparked by a re- body is allowed to scrutinize them.
port by a Mumbai-based newspaper As the controversy continues to
stated that Shiv Sena leader Ravin- rage, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal
dra Waikar’s relative was carrying declined to comment on the Elec-
a mobile phone inside a counting tronic Voting Machines, saying that
center in Maharashtra’s Goregaon it is a “big issue” as he took a dig
that was allegedly used for generat- at the Supreme Court’s ruling on
ing the OTP that unlocked the Elec- EVMs. “When the Supreme Court
tronic Voting Machine (EVM), the of India said that we must trust our
Returning Officer dispelled such re- machines, and we must trust the
ports and clarified that no OTP (One Election Commission of India if the
Time Password) on mobile is needed Supreme Court itself is trusting them,
for unlocking EVMs. A security personnel guards a room where Electronic Voting Machines (EVM’s) are kept during why should I comment on them? If
“There is no OTP (One Time we start trusting the government and
Password) on mobile for unlocking the General Elections 2024 (ANI) the machines, then all work should
EVM as it is non programmable and be done through the machines. Why
it has no wireless communication about the possibility of hacking elec- ing to somebody who is sitting in the do courts exist then? If we start trust-
capabilities. It is a complete lie be- tronic voting machines (EVMs), BJP US and does not know what the In- ing the government, then what is the
ing spread by a newspaper, which is leader and former Minister of State dian EVM is. I think Elon Musk has use of giving verdicts? This is a big
being used by some leaders to create for Electronics and Information not understood what Indian EVM issue; I’ll comment on it later,” Sibal
false narrative,” Vandana Suryavan- Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is,” he said told ANI on Sunday when asked
shi, the Returning Officer of 27 stated that the billionaire CEO was In a related development, Maha- about the EVMs.
Mumbai North West Parliamentary factually incorrect. rashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shin- Kapil Sibal also suggested that
Constituency said in a press confer- Chandrasekhar said, “I think de criticized Congress leader Rahul the matter on the integrity of EVMs
ence on Sunday. “Criminal case has he is factually incorrect in saying Gandhi’s recent statements regard- should be raised in the Monsoon
already been filed by the Returning that anything can be hacked. A cal- ing Electronic Voting Machines Session of the Parliament and not
Officer,” she added. culator or toaster cannot be hacked. (EVMs) stating that he should resign in the upcoming session because the
Meanwhile, Tesla chief Elon Therefore, there is a limit in terms of and contest the election again if he matter needs “elaborate discussions.”
Musk has advised against using Elec- where this paradigm of hacking can believes EVMs are unreliable. “In this session, there will be the
tronic Voting Machines and said that extend. Elon Musk does not under- Shinde also lamented the Con- President’s address followed by a dis-
these machines should be eliminated. stand what the Indian EVM is. Indi- gress MP saying that he had won cussion on it. It may come up in the
The remarks of the Tesla CEO came an EVMs do not lend itself to being elections from two constituencies, Monsoon Session. I think this issue
amid a growing debate on the securi- hacked because it is precisely very Raebareli and Wayanad, where the should not be raised in this Session
ty of EVMs around the world. limited intelligence devices.” same EVMs were used. “Rahul because there should be elaborate
In a sharp response to Tesla and “This was not so much about an Gandhi has won from two places. discussions on this issue,” the Rajya
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s claims argument as much as we are clarify- The same EVM was kept there also, Sabha MP said.

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