Did K'taka Minister Priyank Kharge Request a Court-Monitored Ethical Hackathon for EVM Audit?

Bengaluru, Sep 9 (NationPress) Karnataka's Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, IT, and Biotechnology, Priyank Kharge, has penned a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Sushil Chandra, advocating for a government-supported hackathon to audit the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

In his correspondence with the ECI, Minister Kharge remarked, "This is not a new issue. During my earlier term as IT Minister in 2017–18, I had reached out to the ECI about organizing a court-monitored ethical hackathon to alleviate public concerns. In the recent Gram Panchayat elections and the elections in Lucknow, the recounting of EVMs revealed discrepancies in results."

"Many citizens harbor doubts about the functionality of EVMs. They query how symbols are assigned, the timing of candidate name registrations, and various technical aspects. After use, EVMs are discarded, and numerous instances of missing machines have been reported. Questions linger about the software installations and the identities of those who perform them, yet these issues remain unaddressed," he added.

"We are merely requesting an ethical hackathon. Our region boasts excellent R&D facilities, including esteemed institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). We excel in research and development, and I believe the ECI should permit a court-monitored ethical hackathon to clarify the technicalities surrounding EVMs," he stated.

"Ultimately, an EVM is a device. If there are uncertainties regarding its operation, it is the ECI's responsibility to elucidate those doubts. In my previous letter, they simply sent a public manual. However, when technical queries arise, where can we seek clarity? That is our sole request," Kharge continued.

On the Supreme Court's directive to accept Aadhaar as the twelfth document for voter ID verification, he commented, "The ECI should clarify this. Since Aadhaar is recognized nationwide as a valid identification, what is the ECI's objection to its acceptance for voter registration? Your Aadhaar card suffices for voter enrollment everywhere in India, except for Bihar. What rationale supports this exception? Why is the ECI struggling to maintain an accurate voter list? The ECI is responsible for safeguarding the voter list. Whether it’s issues raised in Mahadevapura or by Rahul Gandhi in Bihar, they remain unresolved," he asserted.

"I question whether the ECI is genuinely committed to conducting free and fair elections," he inquired.

In his letter, Minister Kharge mentioned, "On December 3, 2024, I communicated concerns regarding EVM functioning and vulnerabilities, proposing a viable solution in the form of a government-backed, court-monitored ethical hackathon and audit. With our robust technological and R&D framework, I suggested that Karnataka is ideally positioned to undertake this transparent initiative under judicial and industry scrutiny to rigorously evaluate EVM architecture and address public concerns about electoral integrity."

"Throughout my tenure as Karnataka's Minister for Electronics, IT, and BT, I have consistently advocated similar recommendations to the Election Commission. My intention has always been to tackle concerns and reinforce public confidence in the electoral system," he added.

"In an era where critical questions about institutional independence and electoral integrity arise, it is imperative to adopt measures that enhance transparency. Overlooking them only exacerbates public doubts. I urge the Commission to act on this proposal promptly, to maintain public trust in our democracy," Kharge concluded.

A hackathon is an event that typically lasts from several hours to a few days, where programmers, software developers, designers, and others involved in software development come together intensively to create functional software or hardware projects.