Par panel to study EVM functioning

A parliamentary committee has decided to study the functioning of EVMs and invited suggestions from experts and people, after several political parties raised questions on the fallibility of the machines.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Personnel will study the functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and its upgradation as part of the "electrical reforms", according to the Rajya Sabha secretariat.
The panel headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma has invited suggestions in writing from various stakeholders.
Various opposition parties have raised doubts over the reliability of the EVMs after the BJP's massive victory in Uttar Pradesh recently.
Following Aam Aadmi Party's poor performance in the Punjab Assembly polls, Delhi Chief Minister and party convenor Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that the EVMs may have been manipulated.

He had also demanded an investigation into allegations of tampering of the machines.

The Election Commission has decided to throw an "open challenge" for people to hack the EVMs to put all doubts at rest.
The Commission sources said political parties and experts would be invited to try and hack EVMs.
Though the poll panel is yet to decide on the exact date, sources said the challenge would be held in the first week of May and could continue for 10 days.
The EC had in 2009 announced a similar challenge, wherein 100 machines from different parts of the country were kept at Vigyan Bhawan.