JD(U) rejects opposition’s doubts over voting machines

JD(U) rejects opposition’s doubts over voting machines

The Janata Dal (United), a key constituent of the NDA government, on Monday hit out at the INDIA bloc over “needless controversy” on electronic voting machines, and accused the opposition alliance of ‘conspiring’ to cast a shadow over the recent Lok Sabha polls.

Senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said that despite repeated clarifications over the sanctity of EVMs by concerned departments, the Opposition has deliberately been raising the issue after Mr Elon Musk’s ”wild allegations”.

“The Election Commission has time and again clarified that the EVMs can’t be manipulated. After its response through a press conference yesterday, this debate (on EVM) should end. The former IT minister also explained how the EVMs are custom designed and disconnected from the internet, not allowing any room for hacking,” Mr Tyagi said.

His remarks came in the wake of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi describing the EVMs as ‘black boxes’ and claiming that there are concerns over transparency in the electoral process.

“EVMs in India are a black box, and nobody is allowed to scrutinise them. Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability,” Mr Gandhi said in a post on X on Sunday.

Mr Tyagi dismissed charges of EVM manipulation and said that Mr Musk’s statement was no gospel truth and that everyone has to fall for it.

The nation, he said, witnessed free and fair polls and nobody raised an accusing finger but after Mr Musk’s statement, deliberate efforts are being made to stir controversy around the polls.