EC demands report on defective EVMs

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 5

The Election Commission of India (EC) has sought a report from the state election authorities about 725 Voter-Verified Audit Paper Trail (VVPAT) EVMs which had developed snags on polling day, delaying voting at 45 polling stations across the state.

The machines were installed in 33 Assembly segments and two falling under Amritsar Lok Sabha seat on a pilot basis.

Akali candidate and Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia had slammed the EC yesterday for the technical glitches. Today, Delhi CM and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Never has any election seen malfunctioning (of) EVMs on such a large scale. Was it a mischief done deliberately or in collusion with EC?”

Officials overseeing the elections said the election observers deputed in the segments where snags were reported had been told to submit a scrutiny report to the EC.

“We are sending reports regarding the EVMs to the Commission. It’s up to the EC to take up the matter with the private firm that manufactured the machines,” Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh told The Tribune.

At least 6,668 VVPAT machines were used in all. During mock trial in the morning yesterday, 538 VVPAT machines were replaced. Later, 187 were replaced during the polling. The voting process was reportedly interrupted at 25 polling booths of Majitha, and 10 each in Muktsar and Sangrur. VVPAT machines were used in 33 of the 117 constituencies and two segments of the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat where byelection was held.

Yesterday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had demanded that polling time be extended by an hour in segments where the VVPATs turned out to be defective. However, the demand was turned down.