EVMs flawless, affirms CEC

Rejecting the contention of political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party, AIADMK and CPI(M) that electronic voting machines (EVMs) were tampered with during the Lok Sabha polls, Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla today said no one was able to prove it.

"Doubts were raised on the EVMs after the Lok Sabha polls. The machines were displayed before the protesters who raised its flaws and they were asked to tamper it. No body has been able to do so," he said at a seminar on "Role of Youth and
Civil Society in Elections" in Jaipur.

He said the machines were designed by two agencies involved in manufacturing equipment of defence and atomic energy. "EVMs are neat, clean, quick and stand alone above any system used to exercise right to vote," he said.

The EC has written to the Centre to allow it to introduce a "none of the above" button in the machine for those who do not want to vote any candidate.

"Vote or no-vote should be confidential to avoid any caste or communal clash," he said.

Chawla said the EC was mulling introducing one voter list system in every state rather than two rolls -- one for assembly and LS polls, and another for civic body elections.

He said the EC would try to formulate a policy under which the educational institutes would be authorised to enroll youths completing 18 years of age under the electoral process and get EPIC (Electronic Photo ID Card) at the time of entering college or varsity.