Cong leader alleges EVM tampering in UP civic polls

Senior Congress leader Pradeep Mathur has alleged "tampering" of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Uttar Pradesh civic polls, leading to the victory of the ruling BJP in 14 of the 16 mayoral seats.
"It's a clear case of EVM tampering," Mathur, the former leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, told reporters today.
The BJP swept the Uttar Pradesh civic polls bagging 14 mayoral seats, while Mayawati-led BSP won the mayoral posts in Aligarh and Meerut towns in western Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress leader alleged that the reliability of the Election Commission has become "a thing of the past".

"I foresee similar results in the Gujarat assembly election even though the people there are against the BJP rule and anti-incumbency factor is visible in every area," Mathur said.
Former chairman of Mathura Nagar Palika Shyam Sundare Upadhyay said that it was the "murder of democracy".

If there was a wave of support in favour of the BJP, why the results of majority of Nagar Panchayats and Nagar Palika Parishads in Mathura went against the saffron party, he asked.
The BJP could manage to win only three of the 13 Nagar Panchayats in Mathura district.
While the mayoral poll was held through EVMs, ballot papers were used for elections to Nagar Palika Parishads and Nagar Panchayats.

Polling was held for 16 Nagar Nigams, 198 Nagar Palika Parishads and 438 Nagar Panchayats in Uttar Pradesh in three phases on November 22, 26 and 29. The results were announced yesterday.