Faulty EVMs delay election proceedings in AP; polling goes on

Polling went on in over 300 booths late into Thursday night in different districts of Andhra Pradesh as faulty EVMs hampered voting during the day.

Though the scheduled polling time ended at 6.00 PM, voters in the queue waiting outside the booths were allowed to exercise their franchise.

State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwiwedi had said that even if it was midnight, those in the queue by 6.00 PM would be allowed to cast their votes.

Till 6.00 PM yesterday, over 74 per cent voting was recorded for 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

In more than 380 booths, technical glitches in EVMs hampered polling during the day, resulting in scores of voters having to return home after a long wait.

After authorities rectified the defects and replaced some of the faulty EVMs, the poll process resumed.

Voters who reached polling stations before the scheduled close were allowed to fulfil their obligation.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh, who is contesting the Mangalagiri Assembly seat, staged a protest at a polling station in Tadepalli town late Thursday night, alleging lack of provision of basic facilities for the voters.

He alleged that voters were made to wait in queue for hours because EVMs and VVPATs did not function and they were not even provided drinking water.

The minister was jeered by opposition YSR Congress workers. They raised slogans asking Lokesh to "go back" and not disturb the poll process.

Tension prevailed at the polling station as TDP workers tried to hit back.

Guntur Urban SP Vijaya Rao reached the spot and asked Lokesh to leave. The TDP leader remained adamant and picked up an argument with the officials, saying he was a minister and had every right to be there