This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Opposition Claims Conspiracy As Faulty EVMs Are Reported From Kairana, Noorpur, Palghar And Bhandara-Gondiya

EC blamed it on the heatwave.
Jitendra Prakash / Reuters

Even as 14 elections were being held across 10 states across India -- including in Uttar Pradesh's Kairana and Maharashtra's Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya -- faulty EVM's were reported from across the country, with the Electio Commission blaming the heat wave for the ordeal.

However, the Opposition parties have claimed that the EVMs had been tampered with.

PTI reported that faulty EVMs were reported from both Kairana and Noorpur in UP. Other reports said that in Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya too some EVMs were not working.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav called conspiracy, saying that while people had were waiting in long lines in the heat, this could be a way to stop them from casting their votes.

Tabassum Hasan, RLD candidate from Kairana also complained saying she had been receiving reports of EVMs not functioning since morning. She also blamed the administration saying this was a ploy to favour one party.

Hasan has written to the Election Commission complaining about the faulty EVMs.

Meanwhile in Maharashtra's Bhandara–Gondiya voting had to be temporarily suspended because the EVMs had stopped working.

In Palghar the returning officer said that there was a bit of panic earlier in the day over EVMs, but now it had been sorted.

News18 quoted sources from the Election Commission as saying that the rising temperatures across the country may have caused the sensors in the voting machines to become non-functional and that repairs were being carried.

Congress leader Praful Patel, however, questioned the explanation for the faulty EVMs.

NDTV reported that Patel was "shocked" by the reports and quoted him as saying, ""In April too, it is 45 degrees. Do you mean to say we should not have elections in summer?"

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.