Author: Report
Publication: Rediff on Net
Date: April 27, 2004
URL: http://in.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/27bihar.htm
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday
lodged a complaint with the Election Commission that many Electronic Voting
Machines (EVMs) used for polling on Monday in Bihar did not accept votes
for anything other than the lantern, the election symbol of the ruling
Rashtriya Janata Dal.
State BJP campaign committee convener
Chandra Mohan Rai told reporters in Patna that many voters in Motihari,
Sheohar, Darbhanga, Madhubani and Bettiah complained that whatever button
was pressed in the EVM, the light glowed only in front of the lantern,
giving the vote to the RJD.
Though voters in about 31 booths
in the five parliamentary constituencies highlighted the defect to the
polling officers, the latter turned a blind eye and continued with the
polling with the same machines.
Even if somebody pressed the button
in front of the BJP's election symbol, the light used to glow in front
of the lantern he alleged adding RJD workers had fiddled with the EVMs.
The BJP leader demanded that the
Election Commission probe the matter and order a re-poll in the booths
where the 'defective' EVMs were used.
