Technology · India Bureau
Electoral machines fully secure, not connected to networks: poll chief
India's election commission has moved to address concerns about electronic voting machine security, asserting that the devices used across the country are manufactured domestically and operate without internet or wireless connectivity.
LSN India ·
The chief of India's poll body has underscored the security features of electronic voting machines (EVMs) deployed during elections, stating that the devices are produced by public sector undertakings and remain entirely disconnected from digital networks.
In clarifying the technical specifications of the machines, the poll body chief emphasised that EVMs lack internet connectivity, Bluetooth capability, or Wi-Fi functionality. This isolation from wireless technologies, officials argue, makes the machines inherently secure against remote hacking or external interference.
The remarks come as questions about EVM security persist among sections of the electorate. The poll commission has repeatedly stressed that the machines are manufactured within India by government-controlled companies, ensuring domestic oversight and control over production standards.
The poll body has long maintained that EVMs undergo rigorous testing and certification before deployment. Officials have previously demonstrated the machines' functioning to observers and invited scrutiny of their technical design, asserting that the absence of network connectivity eliminates potential vulnerabilities associated with digital systems.
The statement reaffirms the electoral commission's confidence in the technology adopted for conducting elections across the country, a system that has been in use for several decades.