Maharashtra elections: NCP seeks jammers, CCTV at EVM strong room in Baramati
PUNE: Expressing possibility of "tampering of EVMs", NCP office-bearers from Baramati seat on Wednesday sought installation of network jammers and CCTV cameras at the strong room in the constituency, where these machines will be stored after the October 21 elections.
Opposition parties, including NCP, have time and again raised question marks over the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Kiran Gujar, a polling representative of senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who is contesting election from Baramati, has written a letter to the returning officer of the assembly segment, urging the authorities to install jammers and sought permission to install their own CCTV cameras.
"Voting will take place on October 21, following which equipment such as the control unit, ballot unit, VVPAT will be stored at the warehouse in Baramati town till the day of counting on October 24, when it will be brought to the counting venue," Gujar said in the letter.
"There is a possibility of some systems or hackers hacking the EVMs and manipulating the votes," it added.
He said, "In order to prevent hacking, we have asked the officials to install mobile jammers at the warehouse. If they cannot install the jammers, we can help them do it. We have also sought permission to install our CCTV cameras at the warehouse from October 21 till the counting concludes on October 24."
He added that they have also demanded that the network towers of all the telecom companies in the vicinity should be shut off on the counting day.
"Baramati constituency is the stronghold of Pawars, but the rivals are making claims that their candidate will win the seat. In this scenario, we are apprehensive about the possibility of EVM hacking and that is why we have sought permission," he said.
District collector and district election officer Naval Kishore Ram said that the district administration will meet the applicant and resolve his queries.