AAP Backs Out From EVM Hacking Challenge, Only NCP, CPM To Participate In EC's Event

The Election Commission's EVM challenge will be held on June 3 but with just two parties - CPM and NCP led by Sharad Pawar - volunteering to try and demonstrate that EC's EVMs could be tampered with.

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While BJP, CPI, and Rashtriya Lok Dal have evinced interest in observing the EVM challenge, AAP and Congress raised certain issues in letters sent to the EC on Friday afternoon. Both parties, however, steered clear of expressing any interest in being part of the challenge. RJD also wrote to EC volunteering to participate but as the application was received at 5.39 pm on Friday, it was held as "not entertainable" due to late submission.

Also Read: Tampering With Voting Machine's Motherboard Won't Be Allowed During EVM Challenge, Election Commission Tells AAP

While AAP, which was at forefront of the demand for conducting an EVM 'hackathon', wrote to the EC reiterating its demand to be allowed to change or tinker with the motherboard, Congress too, is believed to have sought a relaxation in conditions for the proposed challenge.

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In a letter to the Election Commission, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said the challengers should be allowed access to all the components of an Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), including the motherboard.

Also Read: EVM Tampering Row: Opposition Parties Stand United, Decide To Meet The Election Commission

An EC spokesperson on Friday evening said a total nine parties had responded to its EVM challenge. While NCP and CPM have nominated three representatives each to take part in the challenge, AAP and Congress stuck to only questioning the framework.

Three other parties - CPI, BJP and RLD - told EC they were keen to observe but not participate in the EVM challenge, while All India NR Congress, a recognised state party in Puducherry, expressly declined to be part of the challenge. RJD applied for participation but only after the deadline.

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Also Read: Kejriwal Wants EC To Make An Official Announcement On 'Open Challenge' To Hack EVMs

The challenge will be conducted between 10 am and 2 pm on June 3. NCP and CPM will simultaneously attempt tampering of EVMs at separate counters. NCP has not chosen the four EVMs, as allowed under the framework, for demonstrating the tampering. The choice of EVMs has been left to the EC.

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EC will bring the EVMs from UP, Uttarakhand and Punjab, where assembly elections were held recently, for the challenge.

The EC had on Thursday turned down AAP's demand for allowing change or tampering of EVM motherboard during the EVM dare, saying that changing the motherboard or internal circuitry of the machine was like changing the whole device itself.