UK PM race: Hacking alert modifies voting rules

The voting for the next Prime minister election was delayed after Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) warned that cyber hackers could alter the people's ballot, according to various media reports.
The postal ballots were due to be sent out from August 1 to the around 160,000 Tory members but members have now been warned they could arrive as late as Aug 11. Earlier, the Conservative Party members were going to be given a postal ballot which had a code with it, and they could select their preferred PM between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak by post or online but the advice of the National Cyber Security Centre changed their plan.

A UK-based publication referring to an email on August 2 evening said, "Your ballot is now on the way - but it will arrive with you a little later than we originally said.

"Please do not worry. This is because we have taken some time to add some additional security to our ballot process, which has delayed us slightly," it adds.

Under the first online voting system, cyber hackers would possibly amend a large number of ballots online near the end of the contest.

Additionally, there was a chance that someone who completed a postal vote and put a picture of their ballot online could be vulnerable to it being changed if there was a visible code on it.

Truss and Sunak, both contenders have to undergo bouts of 12 nationwide events as the first bout took place in Leeds, Northern England as the members elect a new leader. The result will be announced on Sept 5.
According to Smarkets, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is leading the race to replace Boris Johnson as UK's next PM by 90.91 per cent whereas Rishi Sunak's chance of becoming the next UK PM has shrunk to 9.09 per cent.

(ANI)