Jammu: Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has shared his views on the controversy surrounding alleged tampering or hacking of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). In an interview with a newspaper, Abdullah firmly dismissed claims that EVMs can be hacked.
The Chief Minister said he completely disagrees with the notion that EVMs are vulnerable to manipulation, distancing himself even from the opinion of his father, Farooq Abdullah. “My father believes EVMs can be tampered with, but I do not agree with that. I do not think any kind of theft or hacking is possible through EVMs,” he said, adding that this difference of opinion creates debates even within the family.
Omar Abdullah acknowledged that while elections can potentially be influenced in other ways—such as through manipulation of voter lists—he does not believe EVMs themselves can be compromised.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Abdullah reiterated that although questions are often raised about EVMs, he is confident that the machines cannot be tampered with and cannot be used to steal votes. However, he noted that elections can still be affected through other means. He stressed that political parties’ concerns regarding the Systematic Voters’ Registration (SVR) process are legitimate and that it is the Election Commission’s responsibility to address these issues to ensure complete transparency.
