Even as opposition leaders approached the Election Commission raising concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs), protests broke out in Uttar Pradesh over videos showing alleged movement and tampering of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
The Election Commission, however, dismissed the charges as “frivolous” and “unfounded”.
“Complaints of alleged movement of EVMs, purportedly to replace polled EVMs in strongrooms, have been doing rounds in sections of the media. Would like to unambiguously clarify that the reports are absolutely false. Visuals seen viral on media do not pertain to any EVMs used during polls,” UP Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwarlu said in a press conference in Lucknow on Tuesday.
In a detailed statement, the CEO underlined that standard operating procedures were followed while supervising the movement of EVMs.
He also clarified that machines cited in the video clips were “reserved unused EVMs”.
Venkateshwarlu clarified that around 13 per cent EVMs and VVPATs were kept in reserve in every constituency for replacement in case of snags during the polls.
“These reserved EVMs and VVPATs were being brought and stored again in the strongroom, which created confusion,” he said.
The CEO said that in all cases, polled EVMs and VVPATs were sealed properly in front of authorised representatives of political parties and candidates and videographers.
“There are CCTV cameras installed at the strongroom that are guarded by Central Para-Military Forces. Candidates are allowed to have watch on strongroom at a time and one representative of each candidate 24×7. All the allegations are baseless,” CEO said.
Authorities in several districts, where polling was held in the last phase on May 19, had to face the ire of opposition candidates and their supporters in the night on Monday/Tuesday following rumours of changing of EVMs.
As videos went viral on social media, workers of various political parties held protests in Ghazipur, Chandauli and Dumariyaganj.
Many videos showed party workers alleging that the EVMs were being moved outside strongrooms.
The CEO, however, promised action against officials, in case lapses were found, in adhering to procedures.
“The aspersions in video clips being used in media merely pertain to storage or movement of reserve, unused EVMs. However, any case of lapse even in handling of reserve EVMs will be thoroughly investigated and disciplinary action will be taken against officers responsible,” the CEO said.
All opposition parties in the state have issued advisories to their workers to guard the strongrooms where EVMs have been kept and also to match the numbers of EVMs on counting day.
In the early hours of Monday, opposition candidates in Ghazipur, Chandauli and Mirzapur alleged authorities were making efforts to bring EVMs from outside and keep them in the strongroom.
In Ghazipur district, SP-BSP alliance candidate Afzal Ansari sat on dharna and alleged that the administration was trying to change EVMs. He also demanded that at least two BSP workers must be issued passes to sit outside the strongroom set up in Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti.
District Magistrate of Ghazipur, K Balaji, denied the charges of irregularities, saying that the administration was ready to issue passes to three people for eight hours each.
In Chandauli too, the opposition candidate and supporters staged protest and sat on dharna near the strongroom. District Magistrate of Chandauli, Surendra Singh, said the dispute was over installation of cooler at the place where agents of parties were sitting and watching the strongroom but someone spread rumour about EVMs.
Similar incidents were reported from Mirzapur where Congress candidate Lalitesh Pati Tripathi alleged changing of EVMs, This was later denied by the district authorities.
