[throw_away_elec]

This is not a technical issue. This is pure ly a political issue. Allow me to explain why I say so.

This purported "open challenge" is an response to the current political drama staged by the opposition parties crying foul over lost elections.

In UP, the current ruling party sweeped with a thumping majority. (325/403)

But, the same Congress and AAP that were defeated to nil in UP, got significant and in fact leading number of seats in Punjab - 77/117 and went on to form the government. AAP got to form the Govt in Delhi in the last elections.

In Manipur and Goa - Congress got 28 and 17 respectively and was the single largest party. It is another story that they were not able to muster enough strength to form the government. [1]

So, basically, they cry foul in UP accusing the machines were rigged. But, they happily accept the same machines' verdict in Punjab and form the govt and conveniently ignore the fact that in two other states the same machines gave them the single largest party status.

What election commission is trying to do is to prove their parity across parties, which you can see from the above results. Election Commission is an independent body in India and cannot be influenced or rigged towards one or other party of which the opposition is accusing them of unfairly.

Having said that, yes, any system is hackable may be, people can try. But, hey, at least EC is open about it and cannot be accused of favouring any one entity. It can be thought of as a hackathon and if someone finds a bug, they will fix it.

[1] http://www.india.com/assembly-election-2017/

[ubersync]

Chiming in about Punjab. There was a VERY strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling SAD-BJP combine (they have been in power for 10 years). The two main opposition parties were Congress (another 100 year old party) and AAP (a new party backed mostly by millenials challenging the establishment). AAP had a strong wave in its favour. People were flocking to their political rallies. Both SAD-BJP and Congress were determined to make sure that AAP loses, so that they can continue to their old ritual of 5 years for me, 5 years for you. If SAD-BJP had won, there would have been riots in the streets, because everyone would know that its impossible without fraud. So, there are conspiracy theories that instead of rigging the machines in their favour, the current ruling party (BJP) rigged it in Congress's favour, to make sure that AAP loses.

[differentView]

> So, basically, they cry foul in UP accusing the machines were rigged. But, they happily accept the same machines' verdict in Punjab and form the govt and conveniently ignore the fact that in two other states the same machines gave them the single largest party status.

I have no dog in this fight, so this is not political but purely a response on the reasoning.

Questioning the security of a system doesn't mean you believe all such systems have been compromised.

[throwaway132]

Minor correction: AAP had no candidates in UP, so they did not lose there. They got 20/117 in Punjab and a NIL in Goa.

Political parties crying after losing elections is nothing new in India. BJP cried after the 2009 Lok Sabha results. See this speech in the matter by Subramanian Swamy (a senior BJP leader): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXpPRbQx1WI

[throw_away_elec]

Agree on AAP. I was meaning to write they did not cry when they won in Delhi.

For Subramanyan Swamy, if I remember correctly, he did not stop at crying foul. he went to Supreme court and got the VVPAT installed. It is another matter if VVPAT makes it foolproof though, but definitely helps.

I am not supporting this party or that party - all I am saying is that - 1. EC cannot be blamed for partiality as it is made out by the opposition parties and media 2. This is more of a politically driven issue than a majorly technical exercise.

[jcwayne]

> Election Commission is an independent body in India and cannot be influenced or rigged towards one or other party of which the opposition is accusing them of unfairly.

Does such a body truly exist anywhere?

[pkd]

Yes. In India Election Commission has a very special status and rights - in many ways, it's power subsumes the actual government at the time of the election.

Of course it is possible to go to great lengths to rig the system to destroy this situation as well but any sensible person/group will understand that the impartiality of the EC is in the larger favour of everybody.