Kerala govt orders probe into alleged EVM hacking scam targeting Assembly poll candidates
The Kerala government has launched an investigation into a scam where individuals allegedly defrauded election candidates by promising to 'hack' Electronic Voting Machines. The complaint, filed by a Congress MP, suggests candidates were targeted with claims that they could prevent BJP-led manipulation for a fee.
Why it matters
This highlights growing public anxiety regarding the integrity of electronic voting systems and the vulnerability of political candidates to sophisticated fraud schemes.
The Kerala government has ordered a probe into allegations that election candidates were duped into paying money on the promise of “hacking” Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to influence 2026 Assembly election results. The decision was taken after Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan, MP, submitted a complaint to the State police.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala directed the cyber operations wing to conduct an investigation after receiving the complaint from the MP during a press conference in Kasaragod.
According to the complaint, ahead of the elections, a Congress leader allegedly approached the party candidates contesting from the Kasaragod, Uduma, and Manjeswaram constituencies. The person is accused of claiming that “the BJP was planning to hack EVMs” and that he possessed “a special technology” to prevent it and ensure favourable election results. On that basis, he allegedly demanded large sums of money from the candidates.
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