Pakistan on e-voting machines for Election

[ghazi52]

PM hopes results of e-voting machines will be accepted by all parties

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/web-desk

3:04 PM | August 08, 2021


With Pakistani-made electronic voting machines in place, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Sunday finally there will be an election whose results will be accepted across the board.

Congratulating the federal science minister Shibli Faraz on Pakistani-made electronic voting machine, he said, “Looks like finally we will have elections in Pakistan where all contestants will accept the results.”

The PM said it while inspecting the voting machine presented to him by the science ministry.

Earlier yesterday, PM Imran Khan witnessed a detailed demonstration of a new locally-made electronic voting machine (EVM).

Federal minister Faraz, along with the officials of his ministry, gave a detailed briefing to the premier about the working of this locally produced EVM.

Shibli Faraz said there is no need for internet connectivity for the EVMs, and the software used is in the machine is of international standard, he added.

On the occasion, PM Imran Khan witnessed a detailed demonstration of the EVM and also cast his vote. The premier also congratulated Shibli Faraz and his team for producing such EVMs.

 

[ghazi52]

Electronic Voting Machines



The implementation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) is a controversial plan, decided by the government despite significant resistance from the opposition. There were valid concerns on the transparency of electronic voting, considering the many issues faced by the rise in mail-in voting and overseas voting in the US elections. However, the idea is still worth incorporating in our election system—but the implementation process is extremely important, particularly the veracity of EVMs themselves.

So far the process seems to be going well. Prime Minister Imran Khan received a detailed presentation and a demonstration of the EVM on Thursday. The biggest takeaway from the exercise has been that the machine is being locally made—Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said the new machine had been manufactured using indigenous resources and according to the specifications of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

There are several benefits to this.
Firstly, a locally made EVM fits better into the unique ground realities that exist in Pakistan and is in specific compliance with the restrictions drawn out by the ECP, which would be best equipped with the technicalities of an election.

Secondly, the EVM can be made simple and user-friendly for voters as well as the polling staff with the aim to reduce rigging.

Thirdly, EVMs made indigenously are made at half the cost—considering that between 350,000 and 400,000 EVMs are required; this is an important factor. Elections in Pakistan are already costly and wasteful enough as it is.

While a good step, EVMs must be put through further rigorous testing to ensure that they cannot be tampered with. A non-transparent process is bound to lead to contestation of results and extension of the election process, which benefits no one, least of all the democratic process of the country.

 

[jamal18]

They can be easily manipulated. You can kiss fair elections goodbye.

 

[jupiter2007]

They can be easily manipulated. You can kiss fair elections goodbye.

It depends on how secure they are. Everything can be hacked these days, even electric cars.

 

[Imad.Khan]

It depends on how secure they are. Everything can be hacked these days, even electric cars.

To hack anything you need them to have some sort of network connectivity. How will you hack a standalone device?

 

[jamal18]

It depends on how secure they are. Everything can be hacked these days, even electric cars.

Very true.

So let's keep it paper and pencil.

 

[Imad.Khan]

Very true.

So let's keep it paper and pencil.

We have had paper since inception and every single election people cry about it, so why not try something different. Albert Einstein said something which fits in perfectly in this scenario

 

[jupiter2007]

To hack anything you need them to have some sort of network connectivity. How will you hack a standalone device?

Even if it’s air-gapped, it can be hacked.

Researchers have devised numerous ways to extract data from computer systems by developing covert channels. These channels fall into four general groups:

• Electromagnetic (the earliest attack vector)
• Acoustic (beyond speakers, modulated fan and disk drive noise can be used)
• Thermal (very low speeds possible)
• Optical (a hot area, where speeds up to 4k bps have been demonstrated)

 

[Moon]

Very true.

So let's keep it paper and pencil.

Isn't that even easier to manipulate?

 

[ghazi52]

It means there is no solution.

 

[313ghazi]

Even if it’s air-gapped, it can be hacked.

Researchers have devised numerous ways to extract data from computer systems by developing covert channels. These channels fall into four general groups:

• Electromagnetic (the earliest attack vector)
• Acoustic (beyond speakers, modulated fan and disk drive noise can be used)
• Thermal (very low speeds possible)
• Optical (a hot area, where speeds up to 4k bps have been demonstrated)

Go hack a calculator.

 

[Zibago]

They can be easily manipulated. You can kiss fair elections goodbye.

Do you even know how they operate?

 

[jamal18]

Do you even know how they operate?

Oh sorry, I've questioned progress, I must be jahil.

I don't need to know how they work. If it is electronic it can be hacked. Intelligence agencies throughout the world have devoted vast resources for the effort.

Both internal and external forces can control the results.

 

[KaiserX]

E-voting machines should be programmed in a way in which PTI wins majority vote in all assemblies

 

[jamal18]

E-voting machines should be programmed in a way in which PTI wins majority vote in all assemblies

It can be done very easily.