Elon Musk has stirred up controversy in India by suggesting that electronic voting machines (EVMs) can be hacked. His comments have reignited an ongoing debate about the security and reliability of EVMs in the country. Musk made his remarks in response to a post on X by Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. about issues with voting machines in Puerto Rico primaries. “We should eliminate electronic voting machines.
The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high,” Musk wrote. India’s former junior IT Minister, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, pushed back against Musk’s comments. He argued that Indian EVMs are custom-designed, secure, and not connected to any network or media.
Chandrasekhar suggested that Musk’s perspective might apply to other countries that use regular computer platforms to build Internet-connected voting machines. Despite this, Musk doubled down on his stance. “Anything can be hacked,” he asserted.
Musk’s comments have received mixed reactions in India. Some opposition leaders have expressed support for his views. They argue that EVMs are not transparent and are essentially a “black box” that cannot be scrutinized.
Musk’s stance on EVM security
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent opposition figure, voiced his concerns on X. “Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process.
Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability,” he stated. The security of electronic voting machines has been a contentious issue around the world. In the United States, right-wing figures supporting former President Donald Trump have claimed that these machines could be tampered with to change election results.
However, these claims have been widely debunked. Experts point out that while no system is completely invulnerable, significant investments have been made to strengthen election security in the U.S. Federal cybersecurity officials have described the 2020 elections as the “most secure in American history.”
In India, the debate over the reliability of EVMs has been ongoing for years. Several opposition parties claim that EVMs undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have dismissed these allegations. They maintain that EVMs are secure. The Election Commission of India has also defended the machines against criticism.
Musk has often clashed with foreign governments over policy issues. In recent months, he has challenged decisions by Brazilian and Australian authorities regarding content moderation on social media. However, his recent entry into the Indian EVM debate marks a notable shift from his usual stances.
The controversy surrounding electronic voting machines is far from over. Musk’s comments have added fuel to an already heated debate in India.
