Target remains to replace faulty EVMs as soon as possible: Gujarat CEO

Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) B. B. Swain on Thursday said that out of total machines deployed for the second phase of the polls, 1.63 percent of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) were replaced after mock polls.

Addressing the media, swain said that as compared to the phase 1 of the state polling, less than 50 percent cases of EVM replacements were reported in the phase 2.

"Out of total machines deployed for second phase of Gujarat Polls, 1.63 percent of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) were replaced after mock polls. 0.88 percent of the Ballot Units and 0.86 percent of Control Units were also replaced," Swain said.

"Our target remains to replace the faulty EVMs as soon as possible," he added.

He further said that they have received two complaints regarding presence of bluetooth in the polling booths in Ghatlodia and Mehsana.

"After receiving complaints regarding these two places, we have sent observers to the spot," he added.

Giving more details on the voting percentage, Swain said, "Till 12 noon- 12.3 percent voters have turnout.

"In Banaskantha- 12.52 , Patan-11.77, Mehsana-15.3, Sabarkantha-15.9, Aravali-13.8, Gandhinagar-14.91, Ahmedabad-9.64, Anand-13.35, Kheda-13.20, Mahisagar-12.93, Panchmahal-13.35, Dahol-11.58, Vadodra-12.81, Chota Udaipur 11.04 percent," he added.

Meanwhile, there were several complaints made to the Election Commission against the electronic voting machines in and around Vadodara city.

At many places, the polling was halted due to such malfunctioning.

A glitch in the EVM in Gujarat's Chhota Udaipur earlier in the day prevented voters from casting their votes for about fifty minutes.

The device stopped working due to a wire problem, which was later fixed.

"The EVM in Sankheda's Sodhaliya village in Chhota Udaipur was dysfunctional for 50 minutes, so voting was halted for that duration," said Gaurang Rana, Polling Officer.

"We fixed the machine and now the voting is underway," he added.

However, voter turnout of 39 percent was recorded till 12 pm.

The results will be declared on December 18.

In the 2012 assembly polls, the BJP had won 115 seats, while the Congress bagged 61.