Tue Jan 07 12:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Election Commission Dismisses EVM Tampering Claims Ahead of Delhi Polls
**NEW DELHI** – India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajeev Kumar, has vehemently rejected allegations of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering and voter roll manipulation ahead of the upcoming Delhi elections. In a press conference announcing the election schedule, Kumar stated that rigorous verification of over 67,000 VVPATs (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails) since 2019, encompassing more than 4.5 crore slips, revealed not a single discrepancy in vote counts.
This follows claims by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi alleging a “voter scam” in the New Delhi constituency, citing a significant increase in voter additions and deletions. Kumar countered these allegations, emphasizing the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) robust processes, including the sharing of draft electoral rolls with political parties for verification and thorough review of any significant changes.
The CEC highlighted the transparency of the entire electoral process, from the commissioning and testing of EVMs (witnessed by party representatives) to the distribution of Form 20, detailing election results, to all candidates. He acknowledged the possibility of minor technical glitches but assured that these are meticulously investigated and addressed, especially if they could potentially affect election outcomes.
Kumar stressed that numerous court rulings have upheld the integrity of EVMs, dismissing claims of hacking or manipulation. He appealed for trust in the democratic process, urging against baseless accusations that undermine the credibility of constitutional bodies. The CEC concluded by asserting that India boasts one of the world’s most transparent electoral systems, providing significantly more detailed data than any other global election body. The ECI remains committed to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in Delhi.
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