The Election Commission has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police and asked for the filing of an FIR against “cyber expert” Syed Shuja, who yesterday alleged that EVMs had been hacked during the 2014 general elections. The EC had called it a “motivated slugfest”.

In a letter sent to the Delhi Police, the EC said Shuja had violated Section 505(1)(b) of the Indian Penal Code which deals with “statements conducting to public mischief”.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said today that the Congress had “scripted” the press conference. He said: “Is the Congress-sponsored event designed to defame the popular mandate of India? … In what capacity was Kapil Sibal there? Sibal was there to monitor the event for the Congress. He keeps doing such things.”

Sibal says he was in London “for some personal work” and had been invited by Ashish Ray, president of the Indian Journalists Association London, who had told him invitations had also been sent to the BJP and the Election Commission.