Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/Udupi (SB)

Mangaluru/Udupi, May 12: Voting got delayed at several polling stations across the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts due to malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In Dakshina Kannada, 24 control units, 21 ballot units and 42 VVPATs were found faulty. Technicians attended to the complaints as soon as they were informed, officials said.

In some of the polling stations, voters took the officials to task after waiting in long queues. There was a hold-up for at least 15 minutes at Capitanio school after EVM malfunctioned. The voters who were standing in a long queue were agitated. Mangaluru South Congress candidate J R Lobo visited the spot and reviewed the problem, urging the officials to fix the issue without delay.

EVMs were not functioning at three polling stations at Bengre. At Pavoor Badriya Nagar polling station, alternative voting arrangement was made by dividing the voters' list. This created confusion among voters who were unaware of the last minute arrangement. In Vagga of Bantwal taluk, as many as four EVMs malfunctioned, causing delay in voting till 11 am.

Malfunctioning of EVM reported in many booths from Udupi also. In a pink booth at Udupi Christian School, several voters were made to vote as the EVM was being fixed. A similar situation was reported at Kukkikatte school too, where there was a verbal clash and police had to intervene, and polling resumed only after the EVMs were replaced. In Uppinangady, voters reportedly returned home after voting for long for the EVM to be repaired. Sources said that the EVMs malfunctioned due to presence of moisture following overnight rains. In Sullia, voters had to wait as polling began late due to faulty EVM.

Many voters complained that the staff who were appointed in polling booths were poor in technical knowledge of EVMs. In some booths the officials struggled to put the EVMs in place, which also delayed the start.

In some of the booths, CCTV cameras were not working. In Moodubettu there was no electricity and voters complained that the they could not read the VVPAT units.

Poll officials however brushed aside the matter saying it was a common phenomenon during elections and that the malfunctioning EVMs were replaced immediately.