In a swift rebuttal to Elon Musk’s assertions relating to the vulnerability of digital voting machines (EVMs), Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a outstanding BJP determine and former Minister of State for Electronics and Info Know-how, refuted the claims made by the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.
“His assertions are essentially flawed. It is faulty to counsel that something and the whole lot might be prone to hacking. A primary calculator or a family toaster, as an illustration, are hardly targets for hacking. Thus, there exists a transparent boundary to the scope of hacking. Elon Musk appears to lack a complete understanding of the Indian EVM system. Indian EVMs are usually not vulnerable to hacking on account of their inherently restricted intelligence,” Chandrasekhar conveyed to ANI.
“This is not a lot about participating in an argument as it’s about offering readability to somebody who’s located 1000’s of miles away within the US and lacks familiarity with the intricacies of Indian EVMs. Elon Musk seems to be misinformed relating to the character of Indian EVMs,” he remarked.
Musk had cautioned towards the usage of Digital Voting Machines, advocating for his or her elimination. His remarks surfaced amidst a worldwide discourse on the safety of EVMs, significantly fueled by allegations of irregularities in current major elections in Puerto Rico.
In a publish on X, Musk asserted, “We should always get rid of digital voting machines. Regardless of the low chance, the chance of being hacked, both by people or AI, stays too important.” In response, Chandrasekhar, the previous Union Info and Broadcasting Minister, took to X, providing to supply India’s experience on the matter.
“Musk’s assertion is a sweeping generalization that suggests the impossibility of constructing safe digital {hardware}. That is inaccurate. @elonmusk’s perspective is perhaps relevant within the US and different areas the place typical computing platforms are utilized to develop internet-connected voting techniques,” Chandrasekhar expressed in his publish.
Chandrasekhar remarked, “He made a broad assertion suggesting all EVMs are prone to hacking. Whereas I do not search to have interaction in a debate with somebody like Elon Musk, such a sweeping assertion can’t go unchallenged. Due to this fact, I highlighted the disparity between Indian EVMs and people recognized to People, because the US and the Western world make use of related units. Their EVMs are basically related to the web.”
Increasing on his response to Musk, Chandrasekhar reiterated, “I emphasised that Indian EVMs are meticulously architected and designed to make sure security and safety. Their lack of connectivity to Wi-Fi, 5G, or the web renders them impervious to exterior intrusion.”
The BJP chief affirmed that whereas Musk’s assertions might maintain some technical validity, Indian EVMs are certainly extremely safe, primarily on account of their full isolation from connectivity and stringent bodily safety measures governing their deployment.