The Delhi poll authority has denied the claim made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadhha who alleged discrepancies in the electronic vending machines (EVMs) and documents related to it.

“Have learnt through reliable sources that EC has summoned presiding officers of South Delhi Parliamentary Constituency’s polling stations to re-create and re-sign EVM related documents. This is shocking. What is going on? Why are docs being recreated? Are EVMs being replaced too?,” tweeted Raghav Chaddha on Friday.

Refuting the allegations made by Chaddha, the Returning officer (RO) of South Delhi constituency Nidhi Srivastava called it mere rumours and misinformation being spread by the AAP and its leader. “This is a misinformation that is being spread. No officer has been called by ECI. The idea is to make the system most transparent,” said Srivastava.

The RO further added that there is also a monitoring area where representatives of political parties can sit.

Till now only AAP representatives have been sitting. You all are welcome to make your people sit.

The polled EVMs and VVPATs are already in the strong room. Three tier security. The outer layer is protected from Delhi police and Middle layer from Armed Police and inner layer from CAPF. The form 17C which contains number of polled votes in each EVM/CU and copy of 17 C has already been given to all the polling agents who were present in that polling station.

Hence, there is no chance for any manipulation, she said. 

Besides, Chaddha, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj also alleged that alleged about 200-250 presiding officers have been called to the EC office in the last two days and they have been asked to “change sensitive information in the polling diaries”.

Polling diaries are used to note hourly activity at a booth on the polling day.”These diaries contain sensitive information and we want to know why the Election Commission asked presiding officers to modify the information,” Bhardwaj claimed.