From the time India has accepted the more modern way of casting votes, on multiple occasions reports on faulty Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) have made headlines. The Election Commission, which looks after the entire election procedures has not been criticized any less on supplying these faulty EVMs.
On April 23, when the country is going for its third phase of election in 13 states and two Union Territories for 117 seats, reports of malfunctioning EVMs have reiterated the EC with a question of its seriousness and incompetence in providing fully functional EVMs across the polling booths.
The latest in the line of such unsolicited event took place in Goa on the morning of Tuesday. During the mock polling, the Bharatiya Janata Party received 17 votes from its quota of 9 votes. The incident happened a few hours before the third phase of the election during mock polling. The first one to inform about the issue was Goa’s Aam Admi Party chief Elvis Gomes. He, in a mocking tone, lambasted the EC’s office claiming it to be a pure “robbery” of votes over his Tweet.
Election of shame ? Mock poll with 9 votes for each of 6 candidates in booth no 31 in 34 AC in Goa. Total count BJP gets 17, Cong 9 , Aap 8. Ind 1 . Robbery. @SpokespersonECI , @CEO_Goa claims are hollow . @AamAadmiParty pl take up
— Elvis Gomes (@ielvisgomes) April 23, 2019
He in his tweet called the election as ‘election of shame’. He further listed out the votes received by other parties – Congress 9, and AAP 8. After thirty minutes of Gomes’ Tweet, the Goa Chief Electoral Officer embarrassingly announced that the watchdog has changed the machine in booth no. 31 in 34 AC in Goa.
Entire set of EVM has been replaced for AC 34, PS No 31 as per report from DEO South Goa. https://t.co/MNIwGUdAcU
— CEO Goa Election (@CEO_Goa) April 23, 2019
Goa was not the only victim in the first half of the third phase election day. The state of Karnataka where voting for remaining 14 seats was ongoing, several EVMs failed to perform. Minister Priyank Kharge on Twitter shared about the mishap and mentioned that as of now 20 machines have broken down in Chittapur, Karnataka. He further hoped that these machines to get replaced.
Way too many EVMs are malfunctioning in Chittapur. Over 20 reported so far. Hope the district administration has enough backups.@ceo_karnataka
— Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) April 23, 2019
Kerala reported a new type of malfunctioning in EVMs across the various constituencies of the state. Voters have complained that they felt cheated when they voted for one party, but the light next to the symbol of another party glowed.
In Kerala, if you press ‘Hand’ symbol, light shows as ‘Lotus’.
How is that all ‘faulty EVMs’ select only BJP?#LokSabhaElections2019 #Votinground3 #BattleOf2019 #Phase3 #Trivandrum #Kerala pic.twitter.com/2naZ1Q5jM7— Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) April 23, 2019
The New Indian Express in a report has mentioned that numerous malfunction of EVMs have been reported from the state and as many as 20 malfunctioning EVMs have been reported in Kasaragod whereas five developed technical glitches in Kayankulam. In Kizhakke Nalpathu near Cherthala, faulty EVMs were replaced after the EC was informed that all the votes went in favour of the BJP. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan too could not escape from the grasp of faulty EVMs, as he had to wait while casting his vote. Vijayan told the reporters that the EC had failed to deliver sound EVMs which caused him in delay to vote in Kannur district. BJP’s candidate and Rahul Gandhi’s opponent in Wayanad, Thushar Vellappally wrote to the EC complaining that the citizens failed to cast their votes due to faulty EVMs.
Faulty EVM in a booth at Kizhakke Nalpathu near Cherthala was replaced after it was found that all votes were getting registered to #BJP#KeralaElections
Live @ https://t.co/dzFHMEnS88 pic.twitter.com/o5ysV6s1OJ— Onmanorama (@OnmanoramaLive) April 23, 2019
Alleging reports of malfunctioning of hundreds of EVMs surfaced after the Samajwadi Party alleged foul play. Samajwadi Party candidate, Abdullah Azam’s son, alleged that more than 300 EVMs were malfunctioning.
Also Read: Karnataka: Tourists Who Skipped Voting Were Shamed And Garlanded By Campaigners
