Mumbai MP Waikar's kin booked for using phone to 'unlock EVM'; Opposition says EC 'refused to share CCTV footage'

A lawsuit was filed against Waikar's kin Mangesh Pandilkar connected Wednesday for his alleged enactment wrong a counting centre successful Goregaon, which is portion of Waikar's constituency.

"Pandilkar was booked connected the ailment of polling unit Dinesh Gurav. An autarkic campaigner noticed the erstwhile utilizing a mobile telephone contempt a prohibition connected specified devices astatine the counting centre and alerted the returning officer. The RO, successful turn, approached Vanrai police," the authoritative was quoted by PTI arsenic saying.

Pandilkar was booked nether Indian Penal Code conception 188 (disobeying authoritative order), the authoritative added. 

Ravindra Waikar, a Shiv Sena candidate, won the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha spot by 48 votes.

Kin utilized telephone to unlock EVM?

Several reports emerged connected Sunday, claiming that Mangesh Pandilkar was utilizing the phone, which was connected to the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Mid-day cited constabulary arsenic saying that this mobile telephone was utilized for generating the OTP that unlocked the EVM machine.

The incidental reportedly occurred wrong the NESCO Centre during the counting of votes for the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha spot connected June 4.

As per the report, the constabulary sent the mobile telephone to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to find the mobile telephone information and telephone records. "We are besides checking if the mobile telephone was utilized for immoderate different reason," Vanrai constabulary authoritative was quoted by Mid-day arsenic saying.

A clip of the Mid-day nonfiction went viral connected Sunday, which galore absorption leaders questioning the "transparency successful our electoral process".

What Opposition is saying

Congress person Rahul Gandhi said the EVMs successful India are a "black box," and "nobody is allowed to scrutinise them". He posted connected X, “ Serious concerns are being raised astir transparency successful our electoral process. Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud erstwhile institutions deficiency accountability."

Meanwhile, the Congress raised a fewer different questions successful transportation with the allegations against the Ravindra Waikar's relative'

"Why was the mobile telephone of a comparative of the NDA campaigner connected to the EVM? How did the mobile telephone scope the spot wherever votes were being counted?" the Congress asked connected X.

Shiv Sena UBT person Aaditya Thackeray alleged that "the Entirely Compromised- predetermination committee has refused to stock CCTV footage of the counting centre."

"I conjecture it’s trying to debar different Chandigarh moment...Once a traitor, ever a traitor!," Thackeray said.

Another Shiv Sena UBT person Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “It is the close of the campaigner to question CCTV footage of the counting day, yet it has been denied by the Mumbai Suburban District Collector to Amol Kirtikar ji who EC claims has mislaid by 48 votes."

How leaders of the ruling BJP said

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said "Indian EVMs are customized designed, unafraid and isolated from immoderate web oregon media - No connectivity, nary bluetooth, wifi, Internet. i.e. determination is nary mode in. Factory programmed controllers that cannot beryllium reprogrammed."

Chandrasekhar was reacting to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's remark connected the usage of EVMs during predetermination process.

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Published: 16 Jun 2024, 12:50 PM IST