‘Diagnostic check’ of EVMs used in 2024 polls, post HC order

The inspection will be carried out by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), the Bengaluru-based EVM manufacturer, in the presence of senior Congress leader and former minister Arif Naseem Khan, an expert brought in by him, and election officials on April 16 and 17

MUMBAI: The suburban district collectorate has ordered a “diagnostic check” of a set of electronic voting machines (EVMs) used during the last assembly elections in Mumbai. The order, issued on April 7 by Archana Kadam in her capacity as deputy district returning officer, comes following a Bombay High Court ruling that has allowed the EVMs to be inspected.

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The inspection will be carried out by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), the Bengaluru-based EVM manufacturer, in the presence of senior Congress leader and former minister Arif Naseem Khan, an expert brought in by him, and election officials on April 16 and 17.

Khan had challenged the outcome of his election from the Chandivali assembly constituency in the Bombay High Court. He lost the seat in a close contest against Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande in November 2024.

The February 12 high court order is significant in light of the ongoing controversy over the use of EVMs in the country, along with allegations of lack of transparency and bias in favour of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is also seen as judicial intervention in the matter for the first time.

Khan will be allowed to check and verify the burnt memory or microcontroller for potential tampering or modification in the ballot unit, control unit and VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) in the EVMs in question. “We have been allowed to inspect 5% of the EVMs used in my constituency during the poll, which amounts to around 20 EVMs,” said Khan.

The EVM audit will be conducted at a Food Corporation of India (FCI) unit in Borivali on April 16 and 17.

The Congress has been at the forefront of protests against the use of EVMs in elections. Leader of the opposition in parliament, Rahul Gandhi, has alleged tampering and manipulation of votes via EVMs in the general and assembly elections held in 2024. The party had directed all its candidates to seek verification of EVM-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units in their respective constituencies.