VIJAYAWADA: Refuting allegations by the TDP that 30 percent of EVMs are not functioning, Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi has clarified that only 25 issues out of 344 reported are pending and that almost all the 92,000 EVMs in 45,920 polling centers are functioning smoothly.
He appealed to the voters not to believe in rumours and that if anybody has any evidence to back up their allegations they can submit the same to EC to be resolved. “There is no truth in the allegations. Anybody can make any statements is does not mean anything,” he said.
Speaking to media persons in his office at the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon, Dwivedi said at 11 am, 15 percent polling was reported across the state. “It is true that there has been some delay at a few places in the state in the commencement of polling. But, there is absolutely no problems anywhere. Mock polling was conducted to check the EVMs in presence of polling agents before the commencement of polling,” he explained.
According to him, 319 issues out of 344 issues reported pertaining to EVM functioning have been sorted out. “At 44 places, EVMs were replaced. At 6 places, EVMs have been damaged and polling continued. At all these places, cases were booked and offenders arrested. Minor incidents of clashes happened at 12 places. Police are restoring order at those places,” he said.
On the demand for repolling, Dwivedi said there have been no issues till now, necessitating repolling. “When we get the reports from the districts and if there is a need, we would go for repolling. If there is evidence with those making allegations and if they were proved true, we will go for repolling. We are fair and transparent,” he said and clarified that those who are in the queues at polling stations by 6 p.m. will be allowed to vote. He urged those who returned from polling stations without voting to return and exercise their franchise.
He was of opinion that EVMs are not at fault but the staff might have failed to properly set up the EVMs and said any technical issues will be resolved by the staff concerned and polling will not get hampered. On the complaints of lack of proper arrangements, the CEO said necessary instructions were given to district collectors to resolve those issues.