E-Paper
UP polls: FIR against Kanpur mayor for EVM photo; SP claims VVPAT misprint in Bhognipur
Samajwadi Party claimed that BJP's slip was coming out of VVPAT when voters were pressing at bicycle symbol at booth number 121 of Bhognipur assembly of Kanpur Dehat.
Amid reports of faulty EVMs at some polling booths, Samajwadi Party claimed that a voter-verified paper audit trail machine was printing BJP's slip after pressing the button of Akhilesh Yadav's party symbol. Urging the Election Commission to take cognizance of the matter, SP said that BJP's slip was coming out of VVPAT when voters were pressing at bicycle symbol at booth number 121 of Bhognipur assembly of Kanpur Dehat.
“BJP's slip is coming out after pressing the button of SP at booth number 121 of Bhognipur 208 assembly of Kanpur Dehat. The Election Commission should take cognizance of ensuring smooth and fair voting,” Samajwadi Party tweeted.
Additional chief electoral officer BD Ram Tiwari said that the claim was found baseless, reported news agency ANI.
"We received a complaint that a chit displaying the BJP symbol is getting generated after pressing the button against SP's Cycle symbol on the EVM at booth number 21 in Bhognipur, Kanpur Dehat. This complaint has been found baseless," Tiwari said, as quoted by ANI.
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Another controversy erupted after Kanpur mayor Pramila Pandey got herself photographed while voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Kanpur Nagar district magistrate said that an FIR has been lodged against Pandey under relevant sections for breach of secrecy of voting at Hudson School polling station by sharing pictures from inside the polling booth showing the EVM.
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Uttar Pradesh recorded a 21.18% voter turnout till 11am, with Lalitpur district the highest 25.80% polling. Kanpur Nagar saw the lowest turnout (16.79%) in the first four hours of polling. Other districts seeing a relatively higher poll percentage in the third phase of UP assembly elections are Mainpuri, Firozabad, and Etah. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
