As elections to what some consider the historic election in India’s history, Election Commission need to be stand up for electorate and restore confidence. The fact that Government did not provide funds for VVPAT machines cannot justify Election Commission silence. Election Commission need to be vocal about it and even approach SC on the issue of funds. It has to be bold enough to go with paper ballots.
As article below says, how can a prominent Congress leader make such an assertion without some plans to commit fraud? According to Dr. Swamy, 5000 crores were set aside to manipulate the EVMs in the Lok Sabha elections. I know personally tech companies approached by key leaders of polical parties asking the price to manipulate the EVMs. All it requires manipulating 5% of EVMs in select constituencies. When even a Prime Minister office claims coal gate files being investigated are stolen, when they set fire to Government offices to kill evidence on SC investigations (simultaneously both in center and state!), India is rat hole of corruption. As one person who dealt with India told on BBC interview, you can get anything done in India, just need the right price. It is a child play to manipulate the EVMs.
The most disconcerting fact is that some of the Elections Commissioners have declared high level of personal assets and this will be used by establishment to silence the Election Commission officials. Many times, silence is cooperation.
Will India ever raise to its glory? Will it sink into deep hole and end up divided and impoverished like African countries?
Regards,
Satya Dosapati
Satya Dosapati
Save Indian Democracy
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: S. Kalyanaraman <kalyan97@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 9:09 PM
Subject: Aiyar’s jibe on Modi lands Cong in trouble with EC — Kumar Chellappan. EC, revert to paper ballot.
To:
From: S. Kalyanaraman <kalyan97@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 19, 2014 at 9:09 PM
Subject: Aiyar’s jibe on Modi lands Cong in trouble with EC — Kumar Chellappan. EC, revert to paper ballot.
To:
http://bharatkalyan97.
JAN 20
Aiyar’s jibe on Modi lands Cong in trouble with EC — Kumar Chellappan. EC, revert to paper ballot.
AIYAR’S JIBE ON MODI LANDS CONG IN TROUBLE WITH EC
Monday, 20 January 2014 | Kumar Chellappan | CHENNAI
Rahul Gandhi acolyte Mani Shankar Aiyar’s declaration that Narendra Modi would never become the Prime Minister of the country has landed him in trouble. A Chennai based social activist MS Subramaniam has written to VS Sampath, chief election commissioner, TN Malhotra and HS Brahma, the election commissioners, questioning the reason behind Aiyar’s declaration.
“I give you my word that in 21st century Narendra Modi will never become the Prime Minister of the country”, Aiyer, a former IFS officer-turned politician had told the delegates of the AICC session held at New Delhi on Friday.
According to Subramaniam, the Congress leadership has made elaborate arrangement to tamper and manipulate the Electronic Voting Machines in select constituencies across the country. “Aiyer’s declaration that Modi would never become the Prime Minister was born out of this fact. Otherwise how can he tell with authority that Modi would not win the election? The Congress is planning to tamper the EVMs. This only can ensure the defeat of the BJP candidates. The Election Commission of India is yet to take up the Supreme Court verdict making Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail mandatory for all EVMs deployed across the country. The Congress won the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections by tampering the EVMs,” Subramaniam pointed out in his letter to the CEC and other commissioners.
The VVPAT was made mandatory by the Supreme Court following a prolonged legal battle by senior BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy who proved that all EVMs could be tampered. Prof David Dill, professor of computer science, Stanford University, a pioneer in Electronic Voting Machines had written to Navin Chawla, the then Chief Election Commissioner in February 2010 that “computerised voting equipment is inherently subject to programming error, equipment malfunction and malicious tampering”. Chawla, known more for his proximity to the clan controlling the Congress, is yet to respond or acknowledge this letter.
The introduction of VVPAT would enable the voters to get a paper receipt from the EVM indicating the name of the candidate for whom he/she cast the vote. This will be collected in a ballot box and would serve as an evidence in the eventuality of any doubts in the minds of the voters. The dubious nature of the EVMs came out in the open following the “infamous” victory of union finance minister P Chidambaram from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. Initially it was declared by the national media that Chidambaram lost the election to his nearest rival, Raja Kannappan of the AIADMK. But later the returning officer corrected the declaration and announcved that Chidambaram won by 3000 votes, the lowest margin in Tamil Nadu.
A person no other than J Jayalalithaa, the chief minister, has questioned thevalidity of Chidambaram’s election in a letter addressed to the ECI. A case filed by Raja Kannappan in Madras High Court challenging the election of Chidambaram has not reached the logical conclusion though the next Lok Sabha election is hardly weeks away.
Prof Satinath Choudhury, a widely respected electrical engineering and computer science specialist had told the Election Commission way back in 1998 itself that the EVMs could be tampered and were not foolproof. He had suggested that voters be given the right to bring in paper/flier on which they have written the name of the candidate for whom they want to vote. “The polling officer may give them an envelope and the paper could be deposited in the ballot box. Let’s have bot the system,” Prof Choudhry had told the ECI. Though the Supreme Court had asked the EC to consider the suggestion , nothing has been heard about it even after six years.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/
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S. Kalyanaraman