305 EVMs, 525 VVPATs changed in TN after mock polls ahead of voting

CHENNAI: The Election Commission has brought 305 new Electronic Voting Machines and 525 VVPAT units to polling stations where faulty functioning of equipment was recorded during tests dubbed "mock polls" at 6 a.m. on polling day on Thursday at over 66,167 polling stations, said state Chief Electoral Officer Sathyabrata Sahoo.

Tamil Nadu recorded 30.62 per cent voting by 11 a.m, with Arani recording 36.51 per cent and Central Chennai constituency where former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran is taking on PMK candidate Sam Paul, had only 22.89 per cent voting. Sahoo said bypoll constituencies in the state-- polls for 18 seats for the Assembly are being held along with 38 Parliamentary polls for the Lok Sabha-- have recorded 28-30 per cent voting as at 11 a.m.

Sahoo briefed the press around noon on voting percentages and reports of voters being turned away for not having voting slips issued by the Election Commission. "We have issued voting slips as many as possible in the state. There is no need for a voter to have a voting slip. On delays due to faulty EVMs, we have changed the machines as much after the mock polls. Still, should EVMs need to be changed, we have our engineers to change the machines within half hour."


After reports emerged that polling officials are turning away voters without voting slips, Sahoo said: "We have informed the District Electoral Officers, who have told the ROs to enable voting even if voters do not have the slips."

Tamil Nadu witnessed heightened action by Election Commission flying squads and Income-Tax officials against distributing cash for votes. Opposition candidates had protested against selective targeting by the investigative agencies. In Andipatti in Theni seat, poll officers discovered Rs 1.48 crore unaccounted cash from premises linked to Dhinkaran's AMMK.