The Election Commission on Thursday said that a total of 15 EVMs across all 91 constituencies were reportedly damaged due to vandalism in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election on April 11.
Amid clashes in between TDP Workers and YSR Congress workers in Andhra Pradesh, six reports of EVM damaged from the state. Among those six incidents, Pawan Kalyan‘s Jana Sena Party MLA Candidate from Gunatakal Assembly Constituency Madhusudan Gupta smashed the EVM to ground after he protested about EVM. However, he was later arrested by the local police.
Apart from Andhra, five incidents of EVM damaged reported from Arunachal Pradesh. Both Andhra and Arunachal had on April 11 voted for State polls along with national elections.
Two Incidents of damage to EVMs were reported from Manipur, while one each from West Bengal and Bihar.
Responding to the incidents and vandalism, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said that strict action will be taken against those who have damaged the electoral material and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
He further said this thing had happened in past too, We will ensure those responsible for the act must be punished.
Apart from various such incidents, EVM glitches and snags were reported from various states. Congress in Maharashtra has a lodged a complaint about at least 39 incidents. While in Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu reported a couple of such incidents.
Andhra Pradesh’ 175 Assembly Seat and 25 Lok Sabha Seat went to polls on April 11. While 7 seats of Maharashtra also voted on April 11.
General Elections 2019 have already begun on Thursday with 91 constituencies across 20 States and UTs to elected new MPs. The Second Round of Voting is slated for April 18.
The national election would spread across 7 phases from April 11 to May 19. The Counting of votes for the mega battle of ballots will take place on May 23, four days after last round of polling.
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