India's EVMs secure, not connected to internet: Election Chief

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has underscored the security architecture of India's Electronic Voting Machines, emphasizing that the devices operate without any internet, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi connectivity. The statement comes as the election authority continues efforts to build public confidence in the country's voting infrastructure ahead of electoral cycles.

In addressing a gathering of students, Kumar discussed the robustness of India's democratic framework and the critical role of the electoral process in maintaining institutional credibility. The EVM systems, which have been deployed across Indian polling stations for decades, operate on a completely closed network architecture designed to prevent unauthorized access or manipulation.

The Chief Election Commissioner highlighted the importance of young voters in strengthening democratic participation and expressed confidence in the integrity of the electoral machinery. Kumar's remarks underscore the Election Commission's continued commitment to transparency regarding voting technology, a topic that periodically draws scrutiny from various quarters.

India's EVM deployment, which covers hundreds of millions of voters, remains one of the world's largest uses of electronic voting technology. The Election Commission has consistently maintained that the isolation of these machines from external networks, combined with established protocols for verification and counting, ensures the reliability of electoral outcomes.