Computer science experts criticize Election Commission’s response to EVM security concerns

By A Representative 

A group of computer science experts and advocacy organizations has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of prioritizing responses to foreign officials over addressing domestic concerns about the security of India’s electronic voting machines (EVMs). The criticism follows the ECI’s swift rebuttal of remarks by Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, who recently questioned the integrity of India’s EVM system. 

Experts from the Citizens Commission on Elections (CCE) and Vote for Democracy (VFD), including Madhav Deshpande, a seasoned computer scientist and former consultant to the Obama administration, and retired IIT-Kanpur professor Harish Karnick, argue that the ECI’s claims of EVM security lack transparency and verifiable proof.  

In a statement, the experts highlighted vulnerabilities in the current EVM design, particularly the use of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units and Symbol Loading Units (SLUs), which they claim could be exploited to manipulate election outcomes. They warned that malicious software, such as vote-stealing Trojans, could be introduced via USB drives during the candidate list upload process. 

Such malware could alter vote counts after a predetermined number of ballots are cast and erase itself post-election, leaving no trace. Additionally, the brief connection of SLUs to ECI servers to download candidate data creates a potential entry point for tampering, as external actors could compromise the system during this window.  

The group criticized the ECI for failing to allow independent, public testing of operational EVMs or disclose protocols to ensure data integrity across EVM components. They noted that earlier EVM models used before 2014, which lacked VVPAT and SLU systems, were inherently more secure due to their standalone nature. 

To restore public trust, the experts demanded non-invasive testing of EVMs used in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at multiple locations nationwide, full transparency on data-handling processes, and open scrutiny of randomly selected SLUs by independent committees in each constituency.  

The statement follows a detailed memorandum submitted to the ECI on April 11 by over 80 citizens and experts, urging reforms to safeguard electoral integrity. The ECI has yet to publicly address these demands, prompting critics to label its assurances as “official propaganda” unsupported by scientific evidence.