Former Union Minister Rebuts Musk's Concerns on EVMs
Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has dismissed Elon Musk's apprehensions regarding the security of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in India, calling them unfounded generalizations.
Musk's Ambiguous Statements
On a social media platform, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed concerns about EVMs, suggesting their vulnerability to hacking despite the low probability of such an occurrence.
Chandrasekhar's Rebuttal
Responding to Musk's comments, Chandrasekhar, who previously held the portfolio of Minister of State for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, pointed out that Musk's concerns may be valid for the United States and other regions where conventional computing platforms are employed to create internet-connected voting systems.
However, he emphasized that India's EVMs are not comparable to those systems. Indian EVMs are meticulously engineered, highly secure, and isolated from any network or media connectivity.
Chandrasekhar's Elaboration
Chandrasekhar further explained that Indian EVMs are not equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or internet capabilities, eliminating any potential entry points for hackers. These voting machines are programmed at the factory level and cannot be reconfigured.
Invitation to Musk
To demonstrate the robustness of Indian EVMs, Chandrasekhar extended an invitation to Musk, proposing a tutorial on their design and architecture.
Rahul Gandhi's Support for Musk's Concerns
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi aligned himself with Musk's views, describing EVMs in India as a black box that lacks transparency. He questioned the integrity of the electoral process, claiming that the absence of accountability in institutions undermines democracy.
Opposition's Allegations and EC's Assurance
During the recent Lok Sabha elections, the opposition voiced concerns about the possibility of the ruling BJP tampering with EVMs to secure favorable outcomes. However, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar firmly asserted that EVMs are 100% safe.
