Mumbai, An election official on Sunday said the EVMs are a standalone system with "strong administrative safeguards" to protect against any tampering and there is no requirement of OTP to unlock it.
Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency returning officer Vandana Suryavanshi was reacting to a report in Mid-Day newspaper that a relative of Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Vaikar had won by a slim margin of 48 votes using a mobile phone. . Phone connected to EVM during counting of votes on June 4.
“The EVM is a standalone system and there is no requirement of OTP to unlock it. It is not programmable and has no wireless communication capability.This is a complete lie spread by a newspaper. We have issued a notice to Mid-Day newspaper under sections 499, 505 of the Indian Penal Code for defamation and spreading false news, Suryavanshi said at a press conference on Sunday.
According to Vanrai police, Waikar's brother-in-law Mangesh Pandilkar was booked on Wednesday under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to official order) for using a mobile phone at a counting center in Goregaon on June 4. General elections were announced.
Speaking at the press conference, Suryavanshi said that the personal mobile phone of Dinesh Gurav, data entry operator of Jogeshwari assembly constituency, was found in the hands of an unauthorized person and action is being taken in this regard.
“Data entry and vote counting are two different aspects.An OTP enables the ARO to open the Encore login system for data entry. The counting process is independent and has nothing to do with unauthorized use of mobile phones, which is an unfortunate incident and is being investigated,” Suryavanshi said.
"Advanced technological facilities and strong administrative security measures are in place to remove the possibility of any manipulation. The security measures include conducting everything in the presence of the candidates or their agents," he said.
Neither Vaikar nor losing candidate Amol Kirtikar of Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought recount, but verification of illegal postal ballots was sought and done, the official said.Suryavanshi said that CCTV footage regarding this issue cannot be given unless there is an order of the competent court.
Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency returning officer Vandana Suryavanshi was reacting to a report in Mid-Day newspaper that a relative of Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Vaikar had won by a slim margin of 48 votes using a mobile phone. . Phone connected to EVM during counting of votes on June 4.
“The EVM is a standalone system and there is no requirement of OTP to unlock it. It is not programmable and has no wireless communication capability.This is a complete lie spread by a newspaper. We have issued a notice to Mid-Day newspaper under sections 499, 505 of the Indian Penal Code for defamation and spreading false news, Suryavanshi said at a press conference on Sunday.
According to Vanrai police, Waikar's brother-in-law Mangesh Pandilkar was booked on Wednesday under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to official order) for using a mobile phone at a counting center in Goregaon on June 4. General elections were announced.
Speaking at the press conference, Suryavanshi said that the personal mobile phone of Dinesh Gurav, data entry operator of Jogeshwari assembly constituency, was found in the hands of an unauthorized person and action is being taken in this regard.
“Data entry and vote counting are two different aspects.An OTP enables the ARO to open the Encore login system for data entry. The counting process is independent and has nothing to do with unauthorized use of mobile phones, which is an unfortunate incident and is being investigated,” Suryavanshi said.
"Advanced technological facilities and strong administrative security measures are in place to remove the possibility of any manipulation. The security measures include conducting everything in the presence of the candidates or their agents," he said.
Neither Vaikar nor losing candidate Amol Kirtikar of Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought recount, but verification of illegal postal ballots was sought and done, the official said.Suryavanshi said that CCTV footage regarding this issue cannot be given unless there is an order of the competent court.
