'Canards being spread ...' : CEC Rajiv Kumar denies charges of poll process manipulation ahead of Delhi election

CEC Rajiv Kumar

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on January 7 rejected all charges related to poll process manipulation and said that while right to question is inherent in democracy, it's the Election Commission's duty to clear all doubts.

"There were certain kinds of concerns that were raised (by political parties). It was said that wrongful addition and deletion were made in electoral rolls ... Canards being spread about wrongful additions or deletions in electoral rolls to target particular groups," he said.

The CEC emphasised that due process is followed rigorously in deletions or additions to voter lists. "Political parties are involved at each and every stage of voter list preparation with full disclosure and opportunity to object. There is no room for any manipulation," he said while briefing the media to announce the schedule for elections to the Delhi legislative assembly.

Explaining further, Kumar said, "Almost 70 steps are there ... in which political parties and candidates remain with us ... All the claims and objections that come up are shared with all the political parties. No deletion can be done without Form 7".

The CEC said electoral rolls are 'a product of transparency and participation'.

Slamming charges of 'inflated voter turnout' as 'irresponsible', Rajiv Kumar said that there is no question of introducing a virus or bug in the EVM. "There is no evidence of unreliability or any drawback in the EVM ... There is no question of introducing a virus or bug in the EVM. There is no question of invalid votes in the EVM. No rigging is possible," he said.

Referring to EMVs as foolproof devices, he added, "The Supreme Court and High Courts are continuously saying this in different judgments ... What else can be said? EVMs are foolproof devices for counting. Allegations of tampering are baseless. We are speaking now because we don't speak when elections are on," the CEC added.