Hours after allegations that a voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine linked to an EVM in Madhya Pradesh dispensed only slips with the BJP symbol, the Election Commission on Saturday decided to send a team of officials to the State. It sought a report from the poll authorities in the State, where bypolls are due on April 9.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal was appointed to supervise the Ater and Bandhavgarh Assembly bypolls.
The team for the implementation of administrative and security protocols will include a Senior Principal Secretary and a Principal Secretary. Technical experts have also been deployed to ensure the correct functioning of the machines.
“The integrity of EVMs and VVPATs to be used in the poll will be demonstrated to the complete satisfaction of all stakeholders….these teams will remain in the Assembly constituency till the counting is over,” said the EC, on complaints from the Congress party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which raised doubts about the fairness of the machines in view of the incident.
The said incident took place in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind on Friday, ahead of the Ater Assembly by-polls, during a mock test in the presence of local journalists. Irrespective of which button was being pressed, a VVPAT was dispensing only slips of the BJP symbol.
Expressing serious concern, the Congress and the AAP petitioned the Commission on Saturday.
