AAP stages 'live demo' on EVM tampering in Delhi Assembly: As it happened

The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday staged a "live demonstration" of alleged EVM manipulation in the Delhi Assembly.

Pic courtsey: ANI

New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly's special day-long session on Tuesday witnessed a stormy start with Leader of Opposition Vijendra Gupta being marshalled out, thus stalling the House proceedings.

Gupta tried to raise the issue of alleged corruption in land deals involving Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and PWD Minister Satyendra Jain. He alleged that the Rs 2 crore cash, which was allegedly handed over to Kejriwal by Jain, may be related to the deal.

Later, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj staged a "live demonstration" and claimed that anyone knowing a "secret code" can tamper with the EVMs and the code can be fed into a machine while casting vote.

The Election Commission has time and again rubbished allegations that EVMs can be programmed to favour any particular party.

Here are the LIVE UPDATES:

- Delhi Assembly adopts resolution appealing President and Election Commission to hold elections through paper trail equipped-EVMs.

- Kejriwal, however, avoids answers on the bribery charges made against him by sacked minister Kapil Mishra.

- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks with reporters outside the Delhi Assembly at the end of a day-long special session, dares the Election Commission to give EVMs to the AAP which he said will change their motherboards in 90 seconds.

- The time of just speaking and discussing is over, the time has come to act. Today is an important day for democracy, says Manish Sisodia.

- 'Jab Jab paap ka ghara bharta hai toh chalak chalak ke phootta hai'. This has happened today: Sisodia

- Election fixing is just like match fixing. Some polls are lost to maintain the semblance of fictitious challenge, says Sisodia.

- This is not the issue of a political party, but an issue of the nation. We will not let it die down or swept away, says Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

- We are not alone, 18 parties met the President recently and presented their fears regarding the reliability of EVMs: Sisodia

- Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia says: “We are here today because people still trust our democracy and come out to vote. We must protect this faith of the people.”

- Sacked power minister Kapil Mishra said AAP won 67 seats in Assembly Elections because of EVMs only. Taking a dig at Kejriwal, Mishra says tomorrow the Delhi CM will say that there is a fault in people's fingers.  

- ECI sources tell CNN-News18: "They are showing everything with a prototype EVM. Let them prove their charges during the EVM hackathon challenge." 

- If EVMs are found tempered, an action will be taken against the concerned official, says the EC.

- Either prove rigging in EVMs or apologise: EC to AAP

- The Election Commission will challenge AAP to prove EVM tampering in an all-party meeting to be convened on May 12.

- Bhardwaj says since a voter casts a ballot in private, it is difficult to figure out if he's tampering with the EVM. A secret code is entered by a party's supporter who reaches a booth as a voter.

- The AAP MLA claims that there are secret codes which when used will lead to all votes going to a particular party. 

- In the Delhi Assembly, Saurabh Bhardwaj resets EVM and demonstrates how the very same machine, which passes the mock test, is manipulated during actual polls.

- Meanwhile, former Advisor to Committee of Election Commission KJ Rao rules out the probability of Electronic Voting Machines tampering. Talking to Zee News, Rao asks from where AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj has brought the EVM? He adds that EVMs with Election Commission cannot be tampered with.

- As voters cast their votes, they believe their vote goes to the right party, says Bhardwaj as he demonstrated mock test

- AAP leader Bhardwaj demonstrates tampering of EVMs in the Delhi Assembly.

- Today, I want to show how a machine on which the faith of the country rests can be tampered with by an ordinary engineer like me: Saurabh Bhardwaj

- I have worked in many tech companies over several years. I have brought an EVM here to tell you how it works, says Bhardwaj.

- Saurabh Bhardwaj is a Computer Engineer by profession.

- MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj begins speaking, asks to bring EVM machine to show tampering.

- We want Arvind Kejriwal to remove corruption-tainted minister Satyendar Jain. Jain should be arrested: BJP MLA Vijender Gupta

- Talking to media, Gupta says he was raising issue of corruption in the House, but he was thrown out. "It seems AAP government doesn't believe in democracy."

- Outside the Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, who was marshalled out, stage a dharna.

- Congress, TMC, JDU and CPI(M) leaders in the audience at the Delhi Assembly as AAP plans to show live how EVMs can be tampered with.

- When LK Advani lost, he raised questions about EVMs. Why was it correct then and is not now, asks Yadav. 

- Yadav adds that now everyone will come to know why the BJP is silent over EVM tampering issue.

- Meanwhile, AAP MLA Naresh Yadav speaks in the House over EVM tampering row, calls it a threat to democracy.

- "After losing MCD Elections for AAP it's "भारत के लोकतन्त्र पर ख़तरा" !! I have never seen such sore losers!," tweets Patra.

- BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, meanwhile, tweets: "Sad day...The Assembly of the Capital of India attacks the Probity of the EC of India! While the World hails it's impeccable impartiality!!"

- The tampering of petrol pumps in UP has shown that conspiracies are being hatched in our democracy - Lamba

- Referring to chips found in UP petrol pumps, Lamba says: “If a petrol vending machine can be tampered with, why can't an EVM?”

- The AAP legislator says it has been demonstrated that EVMs can be tampered with. “What happened? EC filed FIRs, got them prosecuted.”

- Despite having new EVMs, old EVMs from Rajasthan used to conduct MCD elections.

- Just give us one EVM and we will find out if it can be tampered or not. Our scientists will find out - Lamba

- We went to Delhi EC with our doubts over EVM tampering, but nobody listened, says AAP MLA Lamba.

- The whole country is looking forward to today's special session at Delhi Assembly - Aam Aadmi Party MLA Alka Lamba 

- Vijendra Gupta has been marshalled out of Delhi Assembly during the special one-day session.

- Despite repeated requests and then warnings from Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Leader of Opposition Vijendra Gupta continues to intervene vocally.

- Huge chaos as the BJP MLAs try to move adjournment motion alleging graft.

- The Delhi Assembly special session begins, holds two-minute silence for Sukma martyrs. 

- The AAP is also likely to raise the issue of alleged EVM manipulations in Delhi civic body polls.

- The BJP is expected to corner the ruling AAP during the one-day session over Kapil Mishra's charges. 

- The session comes after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was accused by sacked minister Kapil Mishra of taking Rs 2 crore cash from a cabinet colleague, a charge denied by the AAP.