Amid allegations that the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was casting votes only for the BJP at a ward in Meerut during the first phase of the civic polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded a probe into EVM glitches during the local body polls.
According to media reports, protests had broken out in Meerut after people claimed that no matter which buttons were pressed, the votes were registering for the BJP.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, shared mostly by BSP supporters, which showed the light on the EVM flashing for BJP when the button was pressed for BSP.
WATCH VIDEO:
(The veracity of this video cannot be verified.)
The EVMs used during the polls also reportedly had several technical glitches in many wards.
The State Election Commissioner SK Agarwal had told PTI that two EVMs were replaced each in Merrut and Kanpur. But, he had not mentioned the reason for the replacement.
"Polling was absolutely peaceful. Webcasting, usage of CCTV cameras and intense monitoring was done to ensure peaceful poll," he told PTI.
He also claimed that due to revision of voter list, fake voters were removed.
Raising the issue of EVM snags in the Uttar Pradesh civic polls, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday demanded a "comprehensive probe" by the Election Commission.
"There have been many technical glitches in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the civic polls held in Meerut and Kanpur on Wednesday. There is one common thread everywhere when it comes to complaints against the malfunctioning of the machines... the vote always goes to 'lotus' (BJP's symbol)," AAP leader Atishi Marlena told the media in New Delhi.
"It doesn't ever go to 'hand', 'broom' or 'elephant' (symbols of Congress, AAP and BSP). We demand from the Election Commission, and not the state bodies, a comprehensive probe into the matter which is being treated like an isolated incident," she said.
Marlena noted the AAP in Uttar Pradesh had earlier demanded that the civic polls be conducted using ballot papers and not EVMs.
AAP National Secretary Pankaj Gupta added that the Election Commission should compel the state commissions to take action against the glitches in the voting machines.
(With inputs from IANS)