'False, Baseless': Election Commission Files Police Complaint Against Man Claiming To Hack EVMs

Amid the Opposition's concerns regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) after the Maharashtra poll results, the Mumbai cyber police has registered a cheating case after a viral video showed a person making claims to hack and tamper EVMs.

The case was lodged on a complaint by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra.

"A video was shared by some Social media users where a person is making false, baseless and unsubstantiated claims to hack and tamper EVMs in Maharashtra elections by isolation of EVM frequency," the Maharashtra CEO's office said in a statement.

"Mumbai Cyber Police has registered FIR No.0146/2024 at Cyber Police Station, Dakshin, Mumbai on 30th Nov night against the person in this video after receiving a complaint from CEO Maharashtra. The offence is lodged per 318/4 of Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS), 2023 as well as under Clause 43 (g) and Clause 66 (d) of IT Act, 2000," it added.

The poll body said that EVM is a standalone machine that cannot be connected to any network, be it Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

"Therefore, question of manipulating EVMs does not arise. EVMs are completely tamper-proof. Hon'ble Supreme Court on multiple occasions has reposed their faith in EVMs. Election Commission of India has already published detailed FAQs on its website to clear any doubts and myths on EVMs," the CEO's office said.

The statement added that an FIR was registered against the same person in 2019 on the direction of Election Commission in a similar incident.

The accused is hiding in another country, it said.

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