Botswana has same EVM concerns as us: Saurabh Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI: Even as AAP isn’t participating in the EVM challenge on June 3, its MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj—who is in Botswana—met leaders of political parties there to discuss the issue of EVM tampering on Saturday. Botswana , which is planning to introduce voting machines in its 2019 elections, had recently organised a hackathon while Bharadwaj had demonstrated in the Delhi assembly how an EVM can be hacked.Bhardwaj told TOI on the phone that Botswana was planning to use EVMs, but opposition parties there expressed similar concerns as the ones raised by AAP. “They have similar concerns about the EVMs. They, too, believe that EVMs can be tampered with. We are looking at all possible legal options to prove that EVMs can be tampered with,” said Bhardwaj. A senior AAP functionary said that the Greater Kailash MLA had gone to Botswana on behalf of the party.In a Facebook Live session on Saturday with Dumelang Saleshando, president of Botswana Congress Party, Bhardwaj spoke to him about their concerns. Saleshando said, “We have never used EVMs. In the past 11 elections, we have always used ballot paper….Population of Botswana is saying no, we don’t trust the machines (EVMs), we never asked for them and we don’t have a problem with our current voting system.”On May 18, the Independent Electoral Commission of Botswana had organised an event to demonstrate how EVMs work. The commission had invited Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to demonstrate how EVMs work and answer questions. In its invitation dated May 8, 2017, the commission said that it allow experts to try and “hack or disrupt” the performance EVMs.In a statement on May 15, M V Gowtama, chairman and managing director of BEL, had clarified that BEL would not participate in the hackthone organised by Botswana. “BEL categorically states that it has not sold any EVMs or VVPATs to Botswana Election Commission...No Hackathon event involving any EVM of BEL has been planned or scheduled by it. Therefore, press note issued by Botswana Election Commission is without our approval,” it said.Bhardwaj said, “We have been trying to tell EC that the system has already been breached, but the commission is not ready to see the problem. They are adamant that there is no problem.”