Two days before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader, accused the ruling BJP of “stealing” votes and alleged that his party’s workers intercepted a vehicle carrying EVMs in Varanasi. He alleged that vehicles transporting ballots were seized in at least three districts.
In a statement, the state chief electoral officer (CEO) said the EVMs were being brought to Varanasi for polling officer training slated for Wednesday, and that the “EVMs used in polling are sealed and guarded and are being observed through 24×7 monitoring.”
The SP chief accused the state administration of voter fraud during a hastily arranged press conference in Lucknow. “In Varanasi, EVMS were being transported. Boxes were recovered from a garbage disposal truck in Bareilly.
There were three boxes. One had plain ballot papers, while also ballot papers with seals. In Sonbhadra as well, EVMs were being taken when people apprehended them.
You can confirm from the district magistrate that calls are being made from Lucknow that in places where the BJP is losing, the counting process should be slow and extended till evening,” the former chief minister remarked.
Speaking to media persons, Varanasi DM Kaushal Sharma said: “There were 20 machines that were in a pick-up truck that was stopped by people. There was confusion among the people about whether polling EVMs were being transported.
All the candidates, magistrates have been called here to clarify the same. There were 20 machines that were for training. They are not connected with polling EVMs.
A hard copy of the machines that were used in polling will be given to the candidates. Also, we have decided that the training will be carried out without the EVMs. Other issues will be probed,” Sharma said.
