Following reports of malfunctioning electronic voting machines and technical snags in a few booths in the city, voting was disrupted for a few hours in some areas.
As a large number of mediapersons thronged the polling booth in Stella Maris College in the morning, polling was disrupted for some time owing to a technical snag in the EVM. However, the Chennai District Election Office managed to resume polling before actors, such as Rajinikanth, arrived to cast their votes, in the college.
Residents complained that EVM malfunction affected polling in areas such as Mandaveli and Nungambakkam. Polling was disrupted for two hours in a booth in Loyola College before officials resumed voting with support from engineers. Owing to a technical snag in an EVM in a polling booth in Mandaveli, voters were not permitted to cast their vote after their fingers were marked with indelible ink. Electors complained that they had to return home because of the technical snag.
Members of the AIADMK had staged a protest at the Government Higher Secondary School in Vysarpadi’s Mahakavi Bharathi Nagar in Chennai North Parliamentary constituency, alleging a malfunction with the EVM and VVPAT that favoured the BJP. The AROs inspected the equipment in the presence of DMK, AIADMK and BJP party representatives and concluded that there was no issue with either of the machines, according to an official at the Regional Deputy Commissioner Office (North). “The presiding officer has asked that an FIR be filed regarding this against those who had made a false allegation,” the official said.
Earlier in the day, delays were caused by glitches in EVMs in two booths in Royapuram and one in Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, which were resolved in an hour.
Chennai District Election Office said that they did not receive any valid complaints regarding EVM malfunction in the district. “There were only a few technical snags in the EVMs. All the issues have been resolved by the engineers,” said an official.
