On Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar held his last press conference, where he answered questions about voter turnout data and electronic voting machines (EVMs). He said it’s impossible for anyone to tamper with voter turnout figures and clarified that the belief that voter turnout increases after 5 PM is misunderstood.
According to the Election Commission of India, the Delhi assembly elections will be held on February 5, 2025, with vote counting taking place on February 8. Kumar explained that comparing voter turnout after 5 PM with earlier figures is not correct because polling officials finish various tasks as polling time closes. Sometimes, they even report their results late at night or the next day.
He also noted that the voter turnout app does not include postal ballot numbers. Some counting issues can occur if polling information is not correctly updated. Kumar stated that claims about tampering with EVMs are not true and that courts have confirmed EVMs cannot be hacked.
He emphasized that EVMs are secure and cannot have viruses or bugs introduced. The machines are set up just a week before the election, and all candidates are kept informed about the process.
Kumar assured that political parties have full access to the voter list preparation process and can raise objections. He insisted that no wrongful changes are made to the voter rolls without proper procedures in place.
In total, Kumar addressed six key concerns regarding the conduct of elections, ensuring the integrity of the voting process.