Multi-post EVMs confuse voters

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, December 16

Multi-post electronic voting machines (EVMs) used for the polling of votes for the mayoral and municipal elections left many voters confused as they were not aware of their functioning. Malfunctioning of EVMs at some booths was reported, and some candidates also alleged polling of bogus votes.

Mayoral candidates Dr Jagmati Sangwan (CPM) and Hemant Bakshi (Independent) lodged complaints with the State Election Commission in this regard.

Sandhya, a voter of ward 11, stated that two EVMs – one for the mayoral election and the other for the municipal councillor’s election – were placed side-by-side at the polling booth.

“There was no beep sound when I pressed the button to select the mayoral nominee. When I questioned the polling officials regarding this, they stated that the beep sound would be heard after I pressed the button on the second EVM (for municipal councillor) as well,” she maintained.

Dr Sangwan’s election agent Inderjit Singh said this meant that if a voter pressed the button only for the mayoral election and not for that of the municipal councillor, his/her vote would not be registered, which was a serious lapse in the polling process.

State Election Commissioner Dalip Singh said he would get the matter examined.

“There was widespread confusion amongst the voters and the authorities concerned had done very little to spread awareness about the functioning of the multi-post EVMs,” he lamented.

State Election Commissioner Dalip Singh said he would get the matter examined.

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