After EVM hacking allegations, questions on battery new: CEC wonders what next charges will be

'Leave alone EVM, even batteries (installed) have signatures of candidates. Even we were not aware (of this rule) as it was framed long back. Now it is helping us,' CEC said responding to a series of questions on the reliability of the machines and concerns flagged on battery.

New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday rejected claims by Congress leaders of alleged tampering of EVMs in some Haryana seats where machines with varying battery strength gave out different results.

Referring to the issue over battery strength affecting results, the CEC said earlier allegations of hacking were made "but this has come up for the first time".

"Now we are thinking what next will come, we can't fathom. But certainly something new will come up," Kumar said.

He underscored that electronic voting machines (EVM) batteries are "single-use" in nature like the ones used in calculators. "They cannot be recharged like cellphone batteries ... They have a life," he said.

Kumar asserted that around six days prior to the poll day, EVMs are commissioned and election symbols of candidates are loaded and a new battery is installed which has signatures of candidates or their authorised agents.

"Leave alone EVM, even batteries (installed) have signatures of candidates. Even we were not aware (of this rule) as it was framed long back. Now it is helping us," he said responding to a series of questions on the reliability of the machines and concerns flagged on battery.

The CEC also said that people ask if pagers can be used to blow up people in some country, why can't EVMs be hacked. "Pagers are connected (to network), EVMs are not," he explained.

Pagers sold to Hezbollah and Lebanese officials had exploded recently, triggering claims that their batteries were rigged with explosives.

CEC Kumar said in the recently-held assembly polls in Haryana, 20 complaints were received regarding EVMs. "We will give detailed response to each of the complaints and put our response in public domain," he said.

He also said EC will come out with a detailed 'FAQs' to satisfy all stakeholders.

Last week, Congress leaders had said complaints had been received from Hisar, Mahendragarh and Panipat that there were electronic voting machines with 99 per cent battery on which the BJP won while units with 60-70 per cent battery saw the Congress win.

"Have you understood this conspiracy? Where there was 99 per cent battery in EVMs, the BJP won. Where there was less than 70 per cent battery, the Congress won. If this is not a conspiracy, then what is it?" party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said last Tuesday.

Kumar explained that batteries are used in the control unit of EVMs. New batteries are inserted in the control unit on the day of commissioning in the presence of candidates and are sealed.

He explained that initially, the battery provides a voltage between 7.5 and 8 volts. Hence, the battery capacity is displayed as 99 per cent when the voltage is above 7.4.

With the use of the EVM, its battery capacity and consequently the voltage decreases. As the voltage goes below 7.4, the battery capacity is displayed as 98 per cent to 10 per cent, EC officials had earlier explained.

The control unit remains functional when the battery has more than 5.8 volts. It is when it is left with more than 10 per cent capacity and the battery replacement warning appears on the control unit display.

This is similar to the signal displayed in a vehicle when it is running on reserve fuel.

The remaining capacity of the battery on the counting day depends upon the mock poll conducted on the control unit, the actual poll and the initial voltage of the battery (8 to 7.5 volts).

Generally, alkaline battery has the property of regaining its voltage to some extent when kept switched off, officials said.