On EVMs and Some Unanswered Questions

A few weeks ago, during my last visit to Bharat, I met Anupam Saraph, Pune’s Chief Information Commissioner. I was introduced to Anupam via a chain triggered by Barun Mitra.

I was keen to meet him, especially as his profile seemed to be very very intriguing.  Anupam and I met on a rainy evening at ShivSagar restaurant (the best coffee for its price in Pune, I think!) and it was only around 10pm that I realised we had been talking for 3 hours!

What Anupam told me that day was unbelievable…So I asked him to email me more information. Within two days, Anupam sent me a bunch of links – all pointing to something that had gone seriously wrong with either EVMs, data upload by the Election Commission – or both (and possibly something else)

I hurriedly glanced through some of the links but decided to write about it on the blog only after I had gone through them in some detail.

I am glad I did. Below is a story about EVMS and some unanswered questions…in the words of Anupam and Prof M Nalapat. Do read and think about it. Reading about what they uncovered made me feel very uneasy…

I am now pretty sure that there is something that has gone wrong which we do not know about (yet).  Most of you will not be surprised that Anupam was hounded when he went public with his fears…and no mainstream newspaper would touch their report or findings (sole exception: Mid-Day in Mumbai).

If it was not for the internet, the story would have been censored and buried – never to see the light of the day.

In view of this report, the concern raised by Vidhya on one of my previous posts – ought to be taken seriously (Like most other readers, I too was guilty of dismissing the concerns as mere conjecture and a bit of “sour grapes”. I may have been very wrong).  Read on:

.

From Tracking the Elections 2009 (emphasis mine):

Elections were held in 5 phases across India. The last phase of polling was completed on the 13th of May 2009. The counting of votes was to begin on the 16th of May 2009.

The data of various candidates could be obtained from the Election Commission of India’s website. In order to track the elections and upload candidate and constituency information onto this wiki, we accessed this website and regularly downloaded the CandidateAC file from there. This spreadsheet had various columns containing information of all candidates including their political affiliations, age, address etc. There was also a column for “votes polled” and some “coding” called “DECODE(FINALISED,’YES’,’FINALISED’,)”.

By virtue of the Election Rules no votes polled data/exit poll was to be available before the 16th of May 2009, least of all on the Election Commission of India Website.

The excel spreadsheets on candidate information for all India downloaded from the ECI website between the 6th and 15th of May had “coded” Candidate Names, Party Names and votes polled. Despite repeated queries the ECI has not clarified the meaning of this data. This has resulted in widespread speculation and raised serious questions about the the management and integrity of the democratic process.

The serious questions being asked include:

  • What was the coded data in the “votes polled” column in the versions of the spreadsheet downloaded between the 6th and 11th of May?
  • Why were the spreadsheets between these dates “coded” all of a sudden?
  • If the polling was not even complete how could “votes polled” data be available for all but 47 of the 8071 candidates?
  • If EVM’s were secure with DEO/district collectors, and elections were not even held in many constituencies, how was the data for 8023 candidates or all but 47 of the 8071 candidates available to the ECI on files downloaded between these dates?

  • If data in these files was test/dummy data, how does it match the winners in 108 constituencies or 106 according to another analysis?

  • If the the data in these files was test/dummy data, what was it testing? Why was this test taking place during the polling period?
  • What tests were these that required only some data to keep changing and others to remain unchanging?

*** To be continued ***

Tomorrow – in Part II: Incompetence or Intent?

Part II: EVMs and Unanswered Questions – Part II

B Shantanu

Political Activist, Blogger, Advisor to start-ups, Seed investor. One time VC and ex-Diplomat. Failed mushroom farmer; ex Radio Jockey. Currently involved in Reclaiming India - One Step at a Time.

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27 Responses

  1. Anon says:

    Shantanu, this gives me the chills!
    Does this mean that result data declared was already present on the sites !?!
    Thanks for taking up this topic.

  2. Dr. dipak Chakrabarti says:

    I have no doubts in my mind, only reason that EVM system introduced in India is to make Congress Family winner.Why countries like USA or UK do not follow EVM? Various churches and missionaries own most of English media and Why they are in the media business ? Their role is to guide the Congress family. Hence EVM scandal is supressed by them.They also train jounalists in India through their schools of jouranalism.Hindus must rise up and help Hindu organisations financially at regular basis and devote their time for Hindu causes, otherwise Hindu heritage will disappear from India.

  3. B Shantanu says:

    @ Anon: Yes, something like that…more in Part II later today.

  4. Khandu Patel says:

    I know how proud we are as Hindus but that has no meaning if we little to be proud about. I was under the impression that the EVM were introduced under the BJP, as also the liberalisation of the media so in a large measure Hindu philosyphical blunders that have been responsible for the loss of the primacy of Hindus in our own country.

    Time again Hinduism far from being a settled fact of the Indian state was a political football under which the Hindu party, the BJP were rejected as being too hard line and then only backed under the feeble Vajpayee.

    In the school of survival of the leanest and meanest, the Hindu approach is far too gone in its sell by date.

    How many would fight and die for the cause of the Hindu nation when it seems already to be hopefully lost for the want of the commitment of Hindus in general? That is the reason why India is well short of the officers it needs to maintain its armed forces at the planned level.

    When it has came to the defence of Hindu interests, the brave and the best ended up being sacrificed to those least fitted to command our respect: so we elevated Gandhi and Nehru instead of people like Bose, Savarker and Patel. When the serious minded amongst you have doubts about the right course of history India should follow, it is hardly surprising that the common man in all his ignorance has gone by the platitudes that have been served monotonously for so long that it is the only accepted truth about the Nehru family as the only one best fitted to govern India.

    When the Hindu’s enemies pursue their cause with fanatical devotion, there is only one thing for Hinduism do but yield as gracefully to its demise if it cannot itself find the same enthusiasm for its own preservation. That is certainly necessitated on the instability and turmoil caused by the fanaticism of Islam and Christianity which should have alerted Hinduism’s considered response to challenges that affects it and the country. I have seen no evidence that Hinduism has woken up to this reality and deserves the fate this is coming its way.

    In saying what I say, we should preoccupy ourselves less with the imagined faults of others but instead deal with our failings which are many and profound.

  5. Dipinder says:

    Rahul Mehta in Ahmedabad, has been raising similar issues for a long time now. Rahul is ex-IIT Delhi (Computer Science), founder of a political party/social movement and also contested from Gandhinagar this time.

    Checkout his EVM related effort here:
    http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=92705561

  6. A says:

    @2 (Dr Dipak) and @4 (Patel) — with all due respect, I disagree with / object to your bringing in the word “Hindu” into this.. unless you use the word “Hindu” here to refer to all Indians (which is also acceptable if the definitions are made clear).

    Why do I do so ? Simply because this is an issue affecting ALL Indians, specifically speaking of Indian EVMs.

    The problem with Electronic Voting Machines in general is already well known — Bruce Schneier is top notch expert in information security, here is his:
    http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2004/11/the_problem_wit.html

    Don’t you think all citizens should be together on this ?

  7. B Shantanu says:

    A: Thanks for pointing out…

    ***

    All: Pl. stick to the topic…Hinduism is not central to this specific post…there are other threads where these comments may be more appropriate e.g. this one

  8. R. Viswam says:

    The 2009 Lok Sabha elections results looked dubious to some of us. Since there is no real formal opposition in India, please take up the matter of EVMs earnestly and put some fear in the hearts of the fraudsters. Bring out publications, circulate them in IIts, IIMs…Parliaments etc.

  9. B Shantanu says:

    Viswam: Thanks…This is an effort in that direction. Pl circulate the link amongst your friends and acquaintances. An easy way to do that is to use the “Tell a Friend” button at the bottom of the post (on the left hand side).

    Pl. continue the comments on Part II here

    Thanks

  10. two-points says:

    Analysis of EVM is best left to experts. If political parties suspect foul play, they should take up the issue. If any individual feels strongly about it, s/he should get in touch with the body that represents her/him and ask that body to take it up. If CPM, BJP, Lallu Parshad are happy with the results, there is little commoners can do.

    This is much like discussing whether there is water on some planet in a distant galaxy. It is fun to discuss this and it is fun to talk about conspiracy theory – I have even heard that China is unhappy about the smooth conduct of Indian elections, and therefore, is floating these conspiracy theories – but it won’t get anyone anywhere unless a representative body takes it up at all levels.

    Second point – is somebody doing something to make sure EVM’s are thoroughly checked and vetted before upcoming elections?

  11. Khandu Patel says:

    @A & Shantanu

    I beg to differ with you both. The election was cheapened and rigged for Sonia Gandhi with the EVMs yet there has been complete amnesia by Hindus who have been cheated. The prime beneficiaries of the theft has been Christians and Muslims and Hindu hangers of the Congress alliance. Any suggestion that Muslims and Christians consider themselves Hindus is absurd and ridiculous.

  12. B Shantanu says:

    two-points: To the best of my knowledge BJP, Janata Party and CPM etc have all made representations to the ECI on this matter.

    I do not know whether anything has come out of these representations but I am trying to find out more from Dr Saraph.

  13. RGB says:

    These really are disturbing findings. But then why are opposition parties taking up this issue? Why are they not approaching the courts on this issue?

  14. B Shantanu says:

    RGB: Good point…Your guess is as good as mine 🙁

  15. संदीप नारायण शेळके says:

    Please see the evidence:
    http://indianrealist.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/manipulation-of-evms/

    These guys have really gone extra mile and needs support to bring the culprits to book.
    Indian citizens are betrayed and “Congressi Chors” must be punished.

    -Jai Hind

  16. R.Viswanathan says:

    The mainstream media totally cold shouldering these evidences, how do we bring these to public attention ? Any gainsaying the desperate need for new patriotic newspaper/TV channel ? How do all the like-minded get together and work on them ?

  17. VoP says:

    EVM fraud in Arunachal Elections: Video on YouTube
    http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=9411&SKIN=B

  18. R. Viswam says:

    Let me just play the devil’s advocate.Is it possible EVMs meant for Maharashtra ans Arunachal were ‘manipulated’ and not those for Haryana ? Why does not somebody take samples ( of unexpected results) from all three states and check if there is indeed a primary case for suspicions of EVM rigging? A large scale simulation exercise using Rahul Mehta’s hypothesis might help. Could this be discussed in OCT 25 meeting ?

  19. B Shantanu says:

    Extract from an email by Prof Madhav Nalapat and Dr Anupam Saraph:

    Open Source software is a necessary but not a sufficient for election reforms. There have to be clear norms to certify a democratic election process. Any program on election reforms must therefore ensure:

    – the election is transparent: no election is transparent if it does not provide for independent third party audits by anyone or uses closed standards and technologies to manage any part of the process.

    – the election is honest: no election is honest or accountable if it denies (or requires court interventions or RTI applications for) a receipt to each voter and a poll-booth vise statement of voters, votes cast and votes received by each candidate to the public.

    – the election is fair: no election is fair if it denies the right to track ones vote at least throughout the tenure of the elected body (if not for life).

    – the election is open: no election is open unless it allows everyone the possibility to exercise franchise in a multitude of ways (by paper, by mobile, by ATM, by internet, by EVM etc) from a multitude of locations (anywhere in the world).

    – the election is people centered: no election is people centered unless it allows the people a continued right and ability to shift their vote to an alternate candidate any time in the tenure of the elected body (or better for life).

    – the election must be a level-playing field: no election is level-field unless it eliminates provides each candidate an identical opportunity to reach out to the community.

    – the election must be public: no election is public unless it satisfies transparency, honesty, fairness, openness, is people centered and provides a level flied.

    By corollary an election fraud would repeatedly deny one or more of these.

  20. संदीप नारायण शेळके says:

    @R.Viswanathan
    a little group of 3 is currently trying to setup a news channel or news paper. We are still in very early days and need support and participation from all like minded people.
    Please mail me on (sandeepnshelke AT gmail DOT com). we are discussion about the possibilities and ways to implement the idea. We need you.

    Jai Hind!

  21. Ajith says:

    Pl. see link/extract below.

    Chaum’s voting system allows voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly. I believe this is very relevant to the discussions on the table at your blogs and may be the way for India to explore.

    Perhaps if some IITs can be persuaded to start research in this area, we can hope for some results in the long term…. However, being an IIT-ian myself, I am skeptical whether our institutions can take/persist with self-driven initiatives (‘punar-ukta vadaabhasm’ intended!) or of govt funding such a thing; perhaps some concerned citizens should come together to fund such work.

    Chaum’s system as it is being trialled right now is expensive, and probably *very* expensive for Indian application. But that is what R&D should be about: doing more with less — Not creating IP leverage for company X to beat company Y with !

    From: Maryland Town Tests New Cryptographic Voting System:
    ceswiedler writes “In Tuesday’s election voters in Takoma Park, MD ]used a new cryptographic voting system designed by David Chaum with researchers from several universities including MIT and the University of Maryland. Voters use a special ink to mark their ballots, which reveals three-digit codes which they can later check against a website to verify their vote was tallied. Additionally, anyone can download election data from a Subversion repository and verify the overall accuracy of the results without seeing the actual choices of any individual voter.”

  22. B Ganesh Rao says:

    Hindus are cheated!!We all know that Christian Missionnaries and western companies are controlling Indian media- as a whole.these wested interests are pouring in billions of dollars into India to convert India into a Christian Country!With the blessings of sonia, everything is happening smoothly!I disagree with one comment that it affects evry one.No, it affecst only Hinduas as Hindus are being cheated here and Hindus are being made to look silly,coomunal[if they raise their voice for self protection] etc..

  23. @Ganesh
    I can understand your anger and frustration. But just being angry and showing off frustration doesn’t help bring any change. We all who feel betrayed need to decide and be the part of much needed change that we seek. I appeal you to gather like minded people in your area and influence. Put forth the reality and start spreading awareness about the issues around them and how they are being cheated.

    Shmt Sonia Gandhi is absolutely responsible for such sorrow state of nation, but believe she is not the one and only to blame. There are others in huge number and no outsiders Hindus are primarily trying to cheat Hindus. We need to find such insiders and teach them the lesson.

    I hope you are working on such activity and will keep it up more aggressively.
    I will keep you updated about my activities.

    Please do visit my blog in order to get in touch with me.

    Jai Bharat!!

  24. B Shantanu says:

    Do read Atanu Dey http://www.deeshaa.org/2010/08/25/hang-the-spoil-sport-hari-prasad/ and also check the video at http://indiaevm.org/

    We are hoping to have a discussion on this soon…Stay tuned

  25. ashwani says:

    the complete details of the mechanism.a paper by sh. hariprasad.

    http://www.indiaevm.org/evm_tr2010-jul29.pdf

  26. B Shantanu says:

    Pl leave comments on this post over at Part II here.
    Thanks.