The Newz Radar
The Shimla Municipal Corporation election results were announced on Thursday and the Congress won a clear majority, its candidates winning in 24 of the total 34 wards.
A losing woman BJP contestant from Boileauganj, Kiran Bawa, however, has alleged manipulation in the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs). She alleged that the EVMs in her ward were changed without her knowledge, and that the information about the change was not given to her or her agents.
According to Bawa, when the third EVM (8/3) was opened for the counting of votes, the serial number did not match the number that was previously given to her. She alleged that the officials told her that the EVM was replaced due to technical reasons, but her team was not informed about the change.
Bawa also accused the officers of forging the signature of her agents on the EVM documents. She and her team have now decided to challenge the results in court. This incident highlights the ongoing debate over the reliability and accuracy of EVMs in India. While the Election Commission of India has repeatedly stated that EVMs are tamper-proof and that they are tested thoroughly before being used in elections, some political parties and activists have raised concerns about their credibility.
