Reports of EVM tampering in Surat, Porbandar, EC replaces faulty machines, orders probe

As the voting in the first phase of elections began in Gujarat, some EVMs malfunctioned in Patidar dominated Surat and other parts of the state.

Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia also complained that EVMs were connected to mobile devices via Bluetooth in a Muslim-dominated area of Porbandar.

A team of Election Commission (EC) reached polling booth in Thakkar Plot, Porbandar, to investigate complaints of EVM tampering using mobile phones.

“There are reports of EVM malfunctioning in several polling stations. Request the Election Commission to take necessary action immediately,” Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted.

The Election Commission said they have reserve EVMs and all the faulty machines were being replaced.

"There are 24,000 polling booths in Gujarat. The problem has occurred in seven or eight booths," NDTV quoted Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti as saying.

Chief Election Officer (CEO) B B Swain said an inquiry was ordered into the matter and the collector and the observer of the Election Commission (EC) were sent to the spot.

A team of Election Commission reaches polling booth in Thakkar Plot, Porbandar after complaints of EVM being connected to Bluetooth #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/ETmuu73Fwk

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2017

The ruling BJP, however, said the complaint made by Modhwadia shows the opposition party’s “search for an excuse” as it knows that it would bite dust in the election.

The issue of EVM tampering has been making the rounds after BJP’s massive victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand elections.