Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has responded to Congress' claims of EVM irregularities in Jharkhand by calling out their inconsistent stance on the matter. He highlighted the party's tendency to only question the integrity of the EVM process when the results aren't favorable to them. Shinde also reaffirmed the public's support for Shiv Sena's win in the recent elections.
As soon as the election date is announced, political parties in India begin their preparations for the upcoming battle. With a shift from paper ballots to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the electoral process has evolved significantly. But what happens to these machines after the votes are cast? The EVMs are stored in highly secure strong rooms, and after the results are declared, they are kept for 45 days before being moved to a storage facility. Before the next election, they are retrieved, and the integrity of each machine is verified by representatives from political parties before being reused.
Congress-led UDF candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is leading in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala, with a margin of over three lakh votes after three hours of counting, according to Election Commission figures. The counting of postal ballots began at 8 am, with Priyanka receiving 3,17,983 votes so far. The strong rooms where EVMs were kept were opened more than an hour before counting began.
According to Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, some seats have been stolen amid the counting of votes for the Maharashtra polls, leading to a win for the ruling Mahayuti. Along with other leaders, he questions the election results, alleging foul play and pointing to the use of EVMs in the elections. They have called for an investigation into the matter and expressed confidence in their faction's victory that is not reflected by the current trend.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a historic third term in Haryana, winning 48 Assembly seats. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is set to meet with senior BJP leaders in Delhi to discuss finalizing his cabinet. Despite this victory, the Congress party has raised concerns about the integrity of the counting process and functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs). The elections in Jammu and Kashmir also saw a significant increase in BJP's tally and its government at the Centre claims credit for holding the elections for the first time since Article 370 was abrogated.
In a surprising turn of events, the ruling BJP secured a historic third term in the Haryana Assembly Elections, winning 48 seats. However, the Congress has raised concerns over the integrity of the counting process and functioning of EVMs in some districts and has promised to bring it up with the Election Commission. The results defied pollsters' predictions of a Congress win and experts attribute BJP's success to its consolidation of non-Jat votes, fresh candidate selection, extensive campaigning, and a fragmented opposition. Meanwhile, Congress supporters started celebrating outside the party headquarters as early trends showed a big victory for the party in Haryana and a lead for the Congress-National Conference alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress leaders have raised concerns about EVM tampering in Haryana, citing results from machines with varying battery strength. However, sources from the Election Commission have rejected these claims, stating that alkaline batteries used in EVMs have the property of regaining voltage when switched off, which explains the discrepancies in battery percentages. The EC further clarified that initial battery strength is determined on the day of commissioning in the presence of candidates, and the control unit remains functional as long as the battery has more than 5.8 volts, similar to a vehicle running on reserve fuel.
The European Union has announced its investigation of top tech giants Facebook, Instagram, and Apple for potential violations of digital rules. Facebook and Instagram are being investigated for violating the Digital Services Act (DSA), particularly regarding child protection, while Apple is facing accusations of breaking rules with its App Store. In the midst of these investigations, the Canara Bank X account has been hacked, leading to a warning for customers to avoid using it. Meanwhile, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk visits China to discuss potential restrictions on his company, Tesla, as he faces backlash from Indian politician Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his comments on electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Amid criticism of the Election Commission during the Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition INDIA bloc has continued their criticism in Parliament. Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party stated that he does not trust EVMs even if he wins all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while Congress's K C Venugopal called the ECI a "frontal organization" of the BJP. RJD's Manoj Jha also questioned the credibility of the ECI, comparing it to the village head in the popular TV series "Panchayat". The Opposition had previously targeted the EC over allegations of "faulty" electoral rolls and delay in turnout data, with the CEC stating the result was a vindication of the poll panel's impartiality.
In a recent post on the social media platform X, tech mogul Elon Musk sparked a heated discussion when he suggested that the use of electronic voting machines should be eliminated due to their vulnerability to hacking. This comes in response to issues raised by former US President John F. Kennedy's nephew regarding the potential for electronic interference in Puerto Rico's primary elections. However, Indian Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar quickly countered Musk's statement, arguing that India's custom-built EVMs are secure and reliable. The debate continues on whether paper ballots should replace electronic voting machines to ensure fair and hack-proof elections.