Opposition’s Stand on EVM Worse Than Farce, Says Ex-RAW Chief Sood

Vikram Sood said that if politicians cannot handle losses, they should not be in politics.

After the Opposition raised questions on transparency and fair functioning of EVMs, former head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Vikram Sood has called its doubts a "farce".

Leaders of 22 Opposition parties met the Election Commission on Tuesday, 21 May, asking it to ensure transparency and fairness in the counting process by verifying EVM results with VVPATs.

Sood, in a Twitter thread, dismissed doubts raised by Opposition on EVMs and said that it cannot be a "systematic failure" and that the "exercise" by the Opposition is based on "false pretexts and non-existent evidence".

‘EVMs Cannot be Hacked’

The former RAW chief said that the EVMs cannot be hacked since they are individual counting machines and are not linked to any other circuit. He added that “it will kill universal faith in our democratic systems”.

2 Second, this entire exercise launched by the Opposition is worse than a farce. It is based on false pretexts and non-existent evidence. If persisted, it has the makings of a tragedy that will kill universal faith in our democratic systems.

— Vikram Sood (@Vikram_Sood) May 22, 2019

‘Real Purposes to Save Their Own Leadership’: Sood Hits Out at Opposition

The Opposition had asked the EC to increase VVPAT slips counting to 100 percent or revert to the old paper ballot system. Sood said that the “real purposes of the entire pre-emptive game is to save their own leadership.”

Hitting out at the Congress, he said that the in their case, “it is a desire among the faithful to absolve the Dynasty of any blame,” and instead the EC and the BJP is blamed.

4 Fourth, by persisting with these tactics the Opposition is hardening attitudes of voters & simultaneously losing general sympathy. Those who threaten violence on the day of counting are bringing disrepute to the world’s largest democracy.

— Vikram Sood (@Vikram_Sood) May 22, 2019

Dismissing the doubts over EVMs, Sood said that the Opposition or their “leaders do not deserve” to represent people in Parliament.

5 Fifth, they only come out as power hungry politicians who are not interested in the welfare of the people but in power and the perquisites of power. Another 5 year loss of power is seen as life in the wilderness. They see it as an existential crisis for themselves.

— Vikram Sood (@Vikram_Sood) May 22, 2019

‘If Politicians Cannot Withstand Losses at Elections, They Ought Not Be in Politics’

Expressing that if politicians cannot handle losses, they should not be in politics, Sood said that the electorate will be even bigger by the year 2024 and that we need to work out systems that are much shorter.

7. Seventh, yes the elections were spread over far too many weeks. By 2024, the electorate will be even bigger. We need to work out systems that are much shorter.

— Vikram Sood (@Vikram_Sood) May 22, 2019

He ended his thread asking if exit polls are proven wrong, will it “purify the EVMs”.

8 Finally, for the sake of argument, what if all exit polls are wrong? Will that purify the EVMs? If the answer is yes, then, what if the exit polls are right?

— Vikram Sood (@Vikram_Sood) May 22, 2019

A few days back, the SC had asked the EC to tally the VVPAT slips with the EVM figures of five polling stations in each Assembly constituency across the country, which may delay the results.