Russians can remotely control, hack EVMs, claims Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)-VVPATs, claiming Russian agents can hack EVMs. "EVMs can be remotely controlled. There are rumours that people from Russia are active and controlling EVMs,” Naidu said while speaking at a joint media interaction addressed by leaders of the Congress, NCP, TDP, Trinamool Congress, AAP CPI(M), CPI and DMK.

"EVMs are vulnerable to programming errors...The BJP can get votes only through manipulation," the TDP leader added.

Naidu said only 18 out of 191 countries in the world have adopted EVMs for elections, which include three of the 10 most populated nations.

"EVMs can be manipulated, hacked and they even malfunction, besides being susceptible to programming error," Naidu said, expressing concern.

He also said the economy, business and agriculture are in a bad shape under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He demanded to know why the voter slip in the new VVPATs is visible for only three seconds though it should be seven seconds and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party can get votes only by manipulating EVMs.

Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar said "people are in a mood to change the present government, but manipulation of EVMs is the "only worrying factor."

AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the Election Commission is acting like Dhritrashtra. "You press any button, the vote goes to the BJP," he said.

Counting of 50 per cent VVPAT machines is not an unreasonable demand, senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde said.