Congress leader casts doubt on EVMs' infallibility, seeks CBI probe

JAIPUR: A Congress candidate in Rajasthan, who lost the recent assembly election, has raised doubts about the infallibility of electronic voting machines and demanded a CBI probe.

Danish Abrar, a first-time contender and son of former Union minister Abrar Ahemad, said he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about it and had demanded an inquiry.

Abrar, who lost in the Sawaimadhopur segment, alleged that on the day of polling, the voting machine at booth number 192 in his constituency was registering votes only in favour of a particular candidate.

"The matter came to light almost two hours after the polling began. This was immediately reported to the District Collector, following which the defective EVMs were examined at 11 am and replaced," he said, adding that "the incident raises serious doubts on the programming of the EVMs."

Abrar also alleged that people were allowed to cast vote on the basis of voter slips and no voter ID was checked by the polling team.

"The EVMs used in the state assembly elections should be seized and checked," he said.

Abrar stood at third position in the elections, where BJP's Diya Kumari defeated her nearest rival and NPP convener Kirori Meena with a margin of 7,532 votes.