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Multiple EVM, VVPAT failures reported in Himachal Pradesh polls

WION Web Team
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaWritten By: Raghvendra RaoUpdated: Nov 09, 2017, 02:51 PM IST
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Senior Congress leader Vidya Stokes cast her vote at a polling booth in Shimla's Barubag Photograph:(ANI)

Polling got underway in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday morning with reports of malfunctioning of electronic voting machines(EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trails(VVAPTs) in several places.

At least 58 EVMs and 102 VVPATs were replaced during polling and 167 EVMs and 219 VVPATs had to be replaced during mock polls in the state. In fact, polling could not be held in Gondla polling booth in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district.

During actual polling, 31 ballot units and 27 control units of EVMs malfunctioned and had to be replaced while in mock polls, 101 ballot units and 66 control units of EVMs malfunctioned and had to be replaced.

Most EVM & VVPAT failures were reported in Una, followed by Mandi, Kangra, Solan & Shimla. 

64.8 per cent polling was recorded until 4 pm in Himachal Pradesh, reports said. 

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal cast their votes at Rampur and Samirpur.

Shyam Sharan Negi (101), the first voter of India, cast his vote for the 15th time in assembly polls at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

Shimla district recorded 36 per cent voting which was the highest till 1 pm, while the largest district Kangra recorded 22 per cent voting. Kinnaur recorded 35 per cent polling.

Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Una, Solan and Sirmaur districts recorded 26 per cent, 29 per cent, 32 per cent, 35 per cent and 30 per cent polling till noon while Theog in Shimla recorded the highest polling at 42 per cent.

Polling has picked since noon.

The ruling Congress led by the chief minister and the BJP led with former chief minister Dhumal are contesting all 68 seats while the BSP is contesting 42 seats, followed by the CPI(M) 14, Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party six each and the CPI-3.