Madhya Pradesh: Congress' Digvijaya Singh again raises questions on EVM, ahead of LS polls

"I have complaints with the Election Commission, they don't reply to us on any issue and don't give us time to meet. I have said this in the parliament and outside of the House. I have three basic questions, is it (EVM) a stand-alone machine? Does VVPAT have any connectivity with the internet? Third, I want to know which software you have installed in the VVPAT? Which is installed through the symbol loading unit. Why don't they reply to these questions? A national party has been seeking time since April 2023, but they don't give us time. I have complaints with the ECI, they are totally partial in their work," the Congress leader said.

Ahead of Lok Sabha elections, veteran Congress leader has once again raised questions on the veracity and integrity of electronic voting machines (EVMs) stating that stating that he had approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) but the poll body neither replied to his queries nor has given him time to meet. Speaking to ANI in Rajgarh on Thursday, Singh said, "I have complaints with the Election Commission, they don't reply to us on any issue and don't give us time to meet. I have said this in the parliament and outside of the House."

"I have three basic questions, is it (EVM) a stand-alone machine? Does VVPAT have any connectivity with the internet? Third, I want to know which software you have installed in the VVPAT? Which is installed through the symbol loading unit. Why don't they reply to these questions? A national party has been seeking time since April 2023, but they don't give us time. I have complaints with the ECI, they are totally partial in their work," the Congress leader alleged. On Friday, Singh posted a short video clip on X handle claiming that the machine was connected to the internet, downloading the software from ECI Central Server and then installed in the VVPAT unit.

"This is a short Video of loading of software in the Symbol Loading Unit. It is connecting by Internet with the Central Server of Election Commission and downloading the software from ECI Central Server. This software is then loaded in the VVPAT unit. Am I correct [?]@ECISVEEP[?]?" Singh wrote along with a video clip on X. Digvijaya Singh had recently said that he was working to get 400 people to file nominations from his constituency so that polling could be conducted through the ballot paper.

"There is a way if you want the elections to be conducted through ballot paper here. If 400 candidates contest from one seat, the polls will be conducted through ballot paper. I am preparing for that," Singh had said during a campaign rally at Kachnaria village recently.Meanwhile, the Congress leader who is contesting in the Lok Sabha elections from Rajgarh haappealed to his supporters not to accompany him during filing of nomination. "I am going to file my nomination for Rajgarh Lok Sabha on April 16, 2024. This is definitely an opportunity for all of you to display strength and pride. But I would like to request that at the time when I am filing my nomination, you should be among the voters instead of me. Visit your polling booth and hold a meeting of the booth committee," Singh posted on X.

Rajgarh will go to poll in the third phase on May 7 with seven other parliamentary seats, including Bhopal in the state. The date to file nomination papers for the third phase starts today and the last date will be on April 19. Scrutiny of nominations will be done on April 20 and last date for withdrawal of Candidature will be April 22. Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh will be conducted in four phases. The first phase of polling would be held on April 19, followed by April 26, May 7 and May 13. (ANI)

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