No evidence of EVM tampering, says poll official on fourth day

On the fourth day of the verification process for electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Kolathur Assembly constituency, officials confirmed that no evidence of tampering was found. The verification, taking place at the EVM storage facility in Chintadripet, involved checking the reliability of EVMs, control units, and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines used in 14 polling stations. The exercise, initiated on July 29 per the directive of the Election Commission (EC), concluded on Saturday with no irregularities detected. The verification process, conducted in the presence of Chennai District Election Officer G.S. Sameeran and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G.S. Sameeran, focused on ensuring the integrity of the voting equipment. Over the previous two days, eight EVMs had been examined, and the vote counts recorded by these machines matched the data in Form 20, according to Mr. Sameeran. A mock poll conducted on one EVM from Polling Station 75 at Chennai Higher Secondary School revealed a technical fault in the VVPAT device, which failed to display the indicator light after correctly logging 412 mock votes. Despite the malfunction, the EC’s protocols allowed for either replacing just the VVPAT and continuing the mock poll until 500 votes were recorded or replacing the entire EVM set and restarting the process. However, the applicant's representatives opted against both options, leading to the suspension of the exercise. Officials then proposed offering a randomly selected list of 10 EVM sets, allowing the applicant to choose two for further inspection. They gave the applicants one hour to make their choice, stating that if they did not, the authorities would randomly select two EVMs in the presence of other agents, record the process via video, and complete the verification. In response to claims that some machines lacked visible seal markings, Mr. Sameeran clarified that all devices had been properly sealed, and the seal identifiers were accessible. He noted that the alleged issue concerned the placement of seals, on the rear rather than the front of the machines, and emphasized that this could be resolved by inspecting the machines directly. He reiterated that such concerns did not constitute proof of malpractice or tampering, and that all explanations had been communicated in detail through a formal letter. Should the applicant fail to make a selection within the allotted time, the verification would proceed unilaterally, adhering strictly to the EC’s guidelines. Mr. Sameeran stated that this approach had already been implemented in Kancheepuram, where the District Election Officer and District Collector oversaw the process. He also mentioned that if the applicant or their representative refused to take part, the EC’s rules permitted the District Election Officer to conduct the verification independently, with the assistance of officials and under videographic documentation, before submitting the findings to the EC. Other officials, including Additional District Election Officer K. Karpagam and District Revenue Officer (Elections) N. Pushnadevi, were present throughout the verification process. The ongoing checks aim to reinforce public confidence in the electoral system by ensuring transparency and adherence to established procedures. The outcome of this verification will likely influence future discussions on the security and reliability of EVMs in upcoming elections.