EVMs malfunctioning reported in many centres

Technical snag in EVMs and mismanagement at polling centre caused great inconvenience to voters who turned out in good numbers braving blistering heat. At several polling centres, EVMs developed technical snag when they were opened in the morning. The EVMs were sealed after mock drill, but when they were set up at the polling centres, some of them did not function.

This led to delay in voting in some centres. At Jamdar High School, VVPATs were not operational while at Dharampeth Hindi School, EVMs did not work when they were installed for voting. Similarly, at Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Shri Krishna Nagar centre in North Nagpur EVM developed snag in the morning. This delayed the voting by nearly 47 minutes.

Voting was supposed to start at 7 am. People queued up before the schedule time to cast their vote. However, when the polling was about to begin, EVMs developed some technical snag. This forced the election authorities to delay the voting, which eventually started at 7.47 am.

A voter outside the Blue Diamond School polling booth in Nagpur constituency said voters there were waiting in a long queue and the EVM machine there has stopped working. Some of those in the queue are returning to their homes, he said.

It is learnt that the polling authorities have received 22 complaints of EVM malfunctioning in the city. Officials claimed that the problem was solved and voting was underway in all the centres smoothly.

Similar complaints were also received in other constituencies. In Gondia district of Bhanadara-Gondia constituency, faulty machines were replaced.

EVM glitches were also reported from Booth No. 127 in Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency and Booth No. 147 in Yavatmal- Washim constituency.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has sent 39 complaints to the Election Commission (EC) about “glitches” in the functioning of EVMs at some booths in six Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra.

The party, in a statement said it made 12 complaints to the EC via e-mail, pointing out glitches in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) at some booths in Nagpur, followed by eight such complaints in Chandrapur, six in Wardha and five in Ramtek.

The party also sent four complaints each of such snags in Yavatmal-Washim and Gadchiroli-Chimur seats

At Timki, voting was delayed after some voters created ruckus. They were asked to show identity proof, along with EPIC card which led to some resentment among voters. At Jafar Nagar, people gathered outside the polling booth in large number. Senior police officials had to disperse the mob.

Meanwhile, unavailability of air-coolers and drinking water facility at the polling centres too caused huge problem to voters. The mercury was above 43 degree Celsius, and hot breeze was sweeping the city. In spite of it, the district administration had not made arrangements of shed or air-coolers for voters standing in the queue for their turn to vote. Number of benches at polling centres were inadequate any even elderly people had to stand for a long to cast their vote.  Polling authorities failed to provide wheel chairs and drinking water to people.