G is a 24 hour digital bureau: The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday rejected the Congress’s demand. The Congress claimed that the electronic voting machines used in the May 10 Karnataka assembly elections were earlier used in South Africa. Denying this information, the Election Commission has asked the Congress to ‘bring to light’ the source of spreading the false information.
In a letter sent to Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, the EC said it has used new EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Ltd for elections in southern states.
In a letter to the Election Commission on May 8, the Congress expressed concern over the use of EVMs in elections. Seeks clarification on ‘re-use’ of EVMs used in South Africa in Karnataka elections without going through the process of review and re-verification.
The Election Commission has insisted that EVMs were not sent to South Africa and that the country does not use these machines.
Citing records, they said the Congress had specific information that only the new EVMs manufactured by ECIL would be used in Karnataka.
The EC said Congress representatives participated in every phase of the EVM movement and in the commissioning of EVMs before the Karnataka elections.
The commission asked Congress to ensure that sources of such false information with serious potential to spread rumors ‘should be made public’. It sought a confirmation of the action taken by the Congress by 5 pm on May 15.
Counting of Karnataka elections will be on May 13.