AAP demands EC probe in EVM tampering during UP civic polls

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 here.

"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.

"There have been repeated reports about such incidents and thus our suspicion is just. The EC should take the required action so that our faith in its integrity prevails," he said.