Mumbai Police Debunks EVM Hacking Claims

A Mumbai police official dismissed media reports claiming an MP's relative used a mobile phone to 'unlock' an EVM as fake and baseless. Investigations revealed no evidence supporting the allegations, which have sparked widespread misinformation. The claim, involving Mumbai North West MP Ravindra Waikar, has been debunked by officials citing robust EVM security measures.

A Mumbai police official has categorically dismissed as baseless and fake a media report alleging that a mobile phone was used to 'unlock' an EVM during Lok Sabha vote counting. The report claimed Mangesh Pandilkar, brother-in-law of Mumbai North West MP Ravindra Waikar, who narrowly won his seat, generated an OTP to manipulate the EVM at the counting centre in Nesco, Goregaon.

'The news report is fake and baseless. No such information (about mobile phone being used to generate OTP to unlock EVM) was given by any official,' stated a spokesperson from Vanrai police station.

The Vanrai police earlier booked Pandilkar under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly using a mobile phone at the counting centre. Also implicated was polling official Dinesh Gurav, whose mobile phone was found with an unauthorized individual on counting day.

In a press briefing, returning officer Vandana Suryavanshi dismissed the allegations, highlighting that EVMs are standalone systems with no programmable or wireless capabilities, reaffirming the integrity of the electoral process.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)