46% turnout in Palghar; EVMs come under scanner

Opposition cries foul play, demands re-polling

May 28, 2018 10:48 pm | Updated 10:48 pm IST - Mumbai

People waiting to cast their votes in Bijnor on Monday.

People waiting to cast their votes in Bijnor on Monday.

The byelection in the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra on Monday witnessed a turnout of 46.5%, amid widespread allegations of malfunctioning of EVMs and VVPATs.

Throughout the day, Opposition parties cried foul play demanding a thorough probe. Officials cited reasons such as increase in temperature, sensitivity of sensors of VVPAT machines towards light and dust for technical snags, which resulted in halting of polling.

On Monday morning, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) president and MLA Hitendra Thakur was the first to level allegations of malfunctioning. “I received reports from our workers that there were many locations where voting machines had developed problems. This is suspicious. The BJP is trying to demoralise our early morning voters by these tactics,” said Mr. Thakur.

By 10 a.m. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant put the list of booths where the party suspected malfunctioning of EVMs. The list included Tarapur, Shelwali, Kamare, Satpati, Maykhop, Dhuktan, and Chinchan polling centres in Palghar.

The Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai submitted a complaint to Palghar Collector Prashant Narnavare regarding malfunctioning of over 98 VVPAT machines. “Everyone knows that how these machines are suddenly developing faults. These EVMs are their only hope to win. These large-scale technical issues are suspicious,” said Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of foul play in the election. “The polling process is being halted at places where the BJP is not gaining votes. It has been done deliberately,” said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik.

A total of 4,246 EVMs and 5,360 VVPAT machines were used in two bypolls in Maharashtra. Reacting to the reports of malfunctioning of EVMs and VVPATs, Dr. Narnavare said VVPATs being sensitive to light, dust and heat, some problems were reported from different areas.

Opposition parties have demanded re-polling in all the booths where EVMs have shown problems. But the Election Commission of India denied the charge saying that all the faulty EVMs have been replaced and there was no need for a repoll. Counting will be held on May 31.

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