1,440 VVPATs verified, results matched in Maharashtra polls amid INDIA bloc's EVM concerns: EC

Amid INDIA bloc's concerns over EVM tampering in the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections, Maharashtra's Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kiran Kulkarni said in all 1,440 Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) were verified during the last month's state assembly polls with their results matching perfectly with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) counts.

A VVPAT is connected with an EVM through a printer port, which records vote data and counters in a paper slip to verify the correct recording of vote by the machine. VVPATs are intended as an independent verification system for voting machines.

He also vouched for the credibility of EVMs, saying they are standalone devices with no possibility of hacking, an assertion coming in the backdrop of some opposition parties questioning the credibility of these machines and demanding a return to ballot papers.

Asked about opposition parties levelling manipulation allegations



regarding EVMs and questioning their credibility and transparency, Kulkarni sought to allay their concerns and asserted these devices are tamper proof.

"These machines are standalone devices with no external connectivity, making hacking impossible. The chip in EVMs is one-time programmable, ensuring no changes can be made. Strict security and administrative protocols further prevent any tampering," he insisted.

Asked about the possibility of booth capturing in context of some videos that circulated in central Maharashtra's Beed district during the voting last month, the additional CEO asserted Maharashtra has no history of such incidents.

"These videos were either unrelated to the current elections or were not from the state. At 6 polling stations in Beed, disruptions were swiftly addressed, and polling resumed within an hour. Our team responded quickly, apprehending individuals who were attempting to disrupt the election process," he stated.