Misuse of EVMs Ruled Out

New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) The government today ruled out any possible misuse of electronic voting machines.

''There is no possibility of misuse of electronic voting machines,'' Law and Justice Minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He said the EVMs used for elections conducted and monitored by India's Election Commission were manufactured and supplied as per its requirement by two central Public Sector Undertakings.

They are: Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd, Hyderabad.

The Minister quoted the Election Commission as having informed the government that the EVMs are ''both mechanically and electronically protected to prevent any tampering (or) manipulation.'' He said the Government has not received any survey relating to negative report from anywhere inside the country or from abroad in this regard.

UNI MJ RP KN1748