Failure rate of EVMs much less than expected: EC

Amid reports of EVMs malfunctioning in various polling stations, the Election Commission today defended the efficiency of the voting machines saying the failure rate was less than usually expected.
"The rate of failure is much much less than the general average expected. It is 0.3 per cent," Deputy EC Vinod Zutshi told reporters here.
He was responding to questions on the failure of EVMs which was reportedly leading to voters turning away from polling stations without exercising their franchise.
He said most of the flaws are detected during 'mock poll' which is held just before the actual polling begins.
In West Bengal today, a total of 44 EVMs were replaced during mock poll, he said.

"Magistrates carry reserve EVMs which are replaced within 45 minutes even in the remotest areas," he said.
Electronic Voting Machines are being used in Lok Sabha and assembly elections since 1999. They were used in all parliamentary constituencies in the 2004 elections.