The Election Commission (EC) rejected the Congress's claim on Thursday that the electronic voting machines used in the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls were previously deployed in South Africa and asked the party to "publicly expose" the sources that spread such false information.
The Congress had raised concerns regarding the "re-use" of EVMs in the Karnataka election that were previously used in South Africa.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
In a letter addressed to Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, the EC said it had used new EVMs manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Limited for the polls in the southern state.
In a letter written to the poll panel on May 8, the Congress had raised concerns and sought clarifications regarding the "re-use" in the Karnataka election of EVMs previously used in South Africa and that too, without going through the process of revalidation and re-verification.
The poll panel asserted that neither EVMs were sent to South Africa nor does that country use those machines.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
Citing records, it said the Congress had specific knowledge that only newly ECIL-produced EVMs would be used in Karnataka.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Citing records, it said the Congress had specific knowledge that only newly ECIL-produced EVMs would be used in Karnataka.
The EC said Congress representatives had participated in each stage of EVM movement and commissioning for the Karnataka polls.
The poll panel has asked the Congress to ensure that such sources of false information with a serious potential of rumour mongering are "publicly exposed". It has also sought a confirmation of the action taken by the Congress by 5 pm on May 15.
The counting of votes for the Karnataka polls will be taken up on May 13.
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.
Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.
Home/Cities/Bengaluru News/EC rejects Cong's charge that EVMs used in K'taka were deployed in South Africa
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
