Chandrababu Naidu accuses Election Commission of working on PM Modi's instruction

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Election Commission officials to take his protests over allegation that 30 to 40 per cent of voting machines in his state did not work properly on the first day of polling in the Lok Sabha election. He has threatened of a sit-in if there is no positive response from the election watchdog. Naidu, who demanded a re-poll in nearly 150 polling stations due to non-functioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs), accused the election body of working on the instructions of the government.

“The Election Commission is an autonomous body. At the same time, they are working on instructions of (PM) Modi and the government of India,” he told reporters after the meeting. “Election Commission is not cooperating with us,” he said as quoted by NDTV.

Naidu was accompanied by lawmakers and senior leaders of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Naidu also said he would file a review petition in the Supreme Court over its order on counting of VVPAT slips.

As many as 25 parliamentary seats and 175 assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh voted in the first phase of the national election. A relatively low turnout of 66 per cent was recorded compared to last time’s high of 78.8 per cent.