Congress seeks probe into claims that 2014 polls were rigged

The Congress on Monday said Election Commission should probe claims by a US-based self-claimed cyber expert Syed Shuja that the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were "rigged" and said the probe panel should go for 50 per cent check of polling through VVPATs. Talking to the media after the press conference in London in which Syed Shuja made the sensational claims, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the allegations have added to the grave doubts about the authenticity of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

"This press conference, we cannot vouch for it, we cannot deny it, we cannot affirm it but one point is clear, it adds to the significant body of thought which has grave doubts about the authenticity, correctness of these machines," Singhvi said. "The charges made are very serious. I cannot vouch for them as Congress party, I cannot deny them because have not been been gone into. But they certainly need investigation. They need looking into by an open mind by the Election Commission. And obvioulsy that looking into will lead to a change after the 2019 elections (about the way votes are cast)," he added.

Singhvi said the Congress had nothing to do with the press conference and it "does not know any of these principal actors and has no role to play." On the presence of senior party leader Kapil Sibal at the press conference, Singhvi said that Sibal has himself given a clarification.

"He (Sibal) was not claiming to represent the Congress. I think this approach of shooting the messenger without looking at the message must change," Singhvi said. On the poll panel rejecting the allegations, Singhvi said it should have given its remarks after investigation.