In Botswana, EVMs Made In India Spark Political Row; Opposition Doubts Credibility Of Machine

It¡¯s almost an identical story, but in another continent. The Election Commission of India is facing questions on credibility of electronic voting machines in Botswana. Its testimony could be crucial to how that nation will hold its October 2019 general elections.

Diamond-rich Botswana is seeing heated political debates over using EVMs imported from India. The Opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has moved court against the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) government¡¯s amendments to electoral laws that enabled the use of EVMs.

AFP

BCP has contended that EVMs were aimed at getting a favourable result for BDP. The BDP government, in turn, has sought ECI¡¯s deposition, even as the Botswana Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) argued that EVMs would speed up the electoral process.

ALSO READ: Election Commission Will Hold EVM Challenge From June 3 To Prove That Machines Are Tamper-Proof

Botswana government and its election commission has requested ECI¡¯s experts to depose before a court on the merits of using EVM, an insider confirmed to ET. They have asked ECI officials to hold a demonstration of the EVM and VVPAT in court to dispel doubts over the machines. A delegation from Botswana led by its election commissioner was at ECI on Wednesday with a request that 4-5 EVMs be dispatched for demonstration and deposition in a Botswana court. The ECI, however, is in a bind over the request, considering the acrimony at home already.

BCCL

The Aam Aadmi Party, among others, created an uproar last year saying that Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL), which manufactures the EVMs, was to participate in an EVM hackathon in Botswana. While BEL denied that it would be use any EVM meant for Indian elections, questions were raised on ¡®taking an EVM abroad¡¯ and how it could become susceptible to hacking or misuse.

BCCL/Representational Image

The full Commission would soon take a decision on Botswana¡¯s request, keeping all concerns in mind, the insider told ET. The sparsely-populated country has 57 constituencies and around 6,000 polling stations. The delegation from Botswana that comprised technical and legal experts, besides representatives of the Botswana election authority, feel that deposition and demonstration of the EVM by ECI officials would considerably help their case for EVM deployment. IEC has been in discussion with ECI for the last six months over the possibility of using EVMs. Considering the limited number of polling stations, ECI officials estimate that India could easily manufacture the number of EVMs Botswana requires within 2-3 industrial days.