Here is a disconcerting report from ECI on the use of Information Technology. The last sentence ends with a curt statement: "EVM tracking through software etc."
This is NOT a transparent statement and not consistent with the SC order specifying Constitutional mandate of transparency in election process.
Wonder what "tracking" is ECI doing through software + etc???
A lead is provided by a detailed expose during Lok Sabha elections of 2009. The details may be see at
This detailed report should be read by every political party functionary to realize the many loopholes which exist in the computer systems of EVMs to tamper with election results WHOLESALE. Here are some excerpts from this report:
...the final counting of the votes was to be undertaken and completed on the 16th of May 2009. Election Commission had specifically given the impression that it had formally disallowed any preemptive counting of votes including sampling either through Exit Polls or by downloading EVM data. The data on the final votes polled would be expected to be uploaded/made available on thehttp://eci.nic.in/candidateinfo/frmcandidate.aspx on the 16th of May 2009. The nature of these data would concern names of the candidates, individual party affiliation, name of the constituency, the voting phase, votes polled by each candidate. It is only a matter of serendipity that, in order to obtain the information on the names of candidates their constituencies and party affiliations that on May 6th 2009 Prof Madhav Nalapat and Dr. Anupam Saraph went to the site and must have been amazed to discover the results of the votes compiled forall five phases although the election/voting were yet to take place in phase iv and v. It thus appears that either this was mischief by some hacker or that some data was actually uploaded. The site was visited again on the7th and 11th with the same result. In conclusion, contrary to the rules set up by the election commission, not only was the voting data for the first three phases available but surprisingly data for the two subsequent phases (before actual polling took place) appeared.
The report pointed out that while the counting was to be done on 16 May 2009, Election Commission had electronic access to EVMs and could compile election results and tabulate them on 6th, 7th and 11th May 2009, that is, from 10 days before the announced date of counting.
Unfortunately, the serious report was not properly investigated and no information was provided by ECI as to how ECI could establish such ELECTRONIC TRACKING which is clearly violative of the constitutionally mandated transparency principle and behind the backs of the political parties and contenders in the election process.
If there was a proper enquiry into the report of electronic tracking, a more serious concern which would have been revealed if such ELECTRONIC TRACKING could also have options for tampering with the counted tallies and to arrive at desired results in select constituencies and select EVMs used in select polling booths.
After all, all it takes is a leak in the bucket to empty its contents. If there is a lapse in the cyber security systems and if there is any violation of the cyber security mandates of the Information Technology Act 2000 (which is the cyberlaw of the land) remedial measures should be instituted FORTHWITH.
I suggest the SC order mandating the constitutional principle of transparency should be enforced in letter and spirit. It is a matter of concern that Voter Verifiable Printed Audit Trail is NOT being introduced on a large scale for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls even though SC indicated the imperative. ECI has said that it trying out VVPAT only in Mizoram. This means most of the Lok Sabha constituencies will go to polls without such a mandated Audit Trail.
Alternative systems can be trailed to record voter verified poll to countercheck the results announced from EVM display tallies of the vote count on each EVM. Such a display of the tally of votes on EVM should be veriable with externally, independently compiled audit trails -- in the absence of a print out of the voter's preference.
I am sure ECI recognizes the trust the people of India have placed in the Constitutional body to manage the most sacred process in a democracy -- abiding by the expression of the sovereign voters' choices.
This is a process which has a long history in Indian civilizational history. Uttaramerur inscription of Parantaka Chola of the 12th century records how balloting and elections were held using secret ballot (with palm leaves and pots as ballot boxes) for electing public officials. This fact was also mentioned with pride by Tanguturi Prakasam, former Chief Minister of composite Madras Presidency during the Constituent Assembly debates.
Eternal vigilance is the price of swarajyam in a democratic system.
S.Kalyanaraman
March 15, 2014.
USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
25. Commission uses Information Technology (IT) in a big way for three
important purposes. These are - providing easier access to electors for service delivery, greater transparency and better election management. Examples of use of IT for easier access to service delivery include on-line application forms for inclusion of names and modifications and deletion of entries in electoral rolls; facility for electoral search on the website of CEOs and through SMS; Polling Station locations on maps on ECI website; use of Call centre with 1950 as the phone number for public grievances, etc. IT will be used to increase transparency by putting affidavits of candidates on website, electoral rolls in PDF form on the website, use of webcasting from Polling Stations, etc. Commission will use IT for better management of elections by applications such as SMS based poll monitoring, Election Monitoring dashboard for officers at all levels, EVM tracking through software, etc.