Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday alleged that EVMs in many areas were recording votes in favour the BJP amid reports of glitches from various states during the third phase of polling for 117 seats in 15 states.

“EVMs across India malfunctioning or voting for the BJP. DMs say poll officials untrained to operate EVMs. 350+ being replaced. This is criminal negligence for a polling exercise that costs 50,000 crs,” the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh tweeted.

Malfunction EVM malfunction was reported from polling booths in Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Goa.

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Voting was disrupted at polling booths in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram after some voters complained that their votes to the Congress’ hand symbol went to the BJP’s lotus, prompting the grand old party’s legislator to lodge a complaint.

“We have complained to the returning officer. The district collector is examining this,” Kovalam’s Congress MLA M Vincent said about the alleged vote transfer.

Collector K Vasuki said the machine was replaced after the complaint and that the VVPAT slips will be counted later. Vasuki also said it was a technical error. Chief electoral officer Tikaram Meena said some machines soaked moisture and developed a snag after rains on Monday night.

Thushar Vellappally, NDA candidate from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from where Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also a candidate, on Tuesday demanded re-polling after an EVM malfunctioned.

“Let me draw your kind attention to an important matter. It is reported from booth number 79 - CMS Higher Secondary School, Arappatta in Mooppanad Panchayath that the voting machine is damaged. A vote is not being cast even after pressing twice,” a letter by Vellappally through Chief Election Agent Advocate Sinil Kumar G read.

In South Goa, a polling officials ordered the replacement of the EVM at a booth in Cuncolim after it was found that the machine was adding votes to the BJP’s tally during a mandatory mock poll exercise.

The matter was raised by the Aam Aadmi Party’s South Goa Lok Sabha seat candidate Elvis Gomes, who filed a complaint before the election officials. Gomes said that during the mock poll, in which nine votes were cast for each candidate, the EVM recorded 17 votes in favour of the BJP, nine in favour of the Congress, eight in favour of the AAP and only one in favour of Independent candidates.

First Published: Apr 23, 2019 11:38 IST