Return to ballot papers as EVMs can be hacked: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu

: Elections should be held using ballot papers to clear doubts over the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVM) as technology can be hacked, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday.

Talking to mediapersons in Shimla, Sukhu said, “The EVM manufacturers have closed production and if there is doubt over their functioning, elections should be held using ballot papers on the demand of the public at large.”

The chief minister’s remarks came days after the BJP-led Mahayuti swept the Maharashtra assembly elections, winning 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) finished a distant second with 46 seats.

“Any technology can be hacked, and even Elon Musk has said this,” Sukhu said.

Several leaders of the MVA, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP), have alleged irregularities in the functioning of EVMs, claiming a large number of complaints have surfaced against the machines.

Speaking about the concerns, Congress’ Himachal unit president Pratibha Singh, said, “The issue has been raised multiple times. Concerns about tampering with EVMs have been brought up on several occasions. It is the Election Commission’s responsibility to address it.”

BJP hits back

BJP, however, hit back with leader of Opposition in the Himachal assembly, Jai Ram Thakur saying, “The reason for Congress’s defeat is not EVM but anti-people and anti-development thinking. The Congress has been defeated in this election by the people of the state, not EVM.”

“Stop the mess from health to education system and give priority to public welfare works instead of corruption. Stop blaming EVMs,” he added.