Gujarat polls: Congress complains about faulty EVMs, biased TV coverage

Alok Sharma, the Congress’s Gujarat in charge, said the machines malfunctioned in places such as Jamnagar, Rajkot and officials took over an hour to replace them

Around 50 Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) malfunctioned and were not replaced in time and some TV channels were allegedly influencing voters in favour of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Opposition Congress complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday.

People waiting to vote outside a polling station in Surat. (AFP)

Alok Sharma, the Congress’s Gujarat in charge, said the machines malfunctioned in places such as Jamnagar, Rajkot and officials took over an hour to replace them.

“Many TV channels reporting on the polling have been giving a biased coverage to BJP leaders...as if campaigning for the BJP...[to influence]...the voters. This is a clear violation of the [election] Model Code of Conduct.” He asked the ECI to immediately stop it so that free and fair elections can be held.

The polling in the first phase of the Gujarat elections was being held in the state’s Saurashtra region and South Gujarat regions.