Gujarat elections 2017: 1,517 EVMs, VVPATs replaced during elections

As the second and final phase in Gujarat assembly polls ended on Thursday, as many as 1517 Electronic Voting Machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail units were replaced, following complaints and technical glitches. Votes were cast in Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Aravalli, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Dahod, Kheda, Anand, Vadodara and Chhota Udepur districts from 8 am to 5 pm.

Out of total 27561 ballot units (EVMs) deployed, 369 were reported with glitches. As many as 322 out of 25,575 control units and 826 VVPATs out of 25,575 units were found having glitches and were replaced by the Election Commission. The Commission kept in reserve 5,204 BUs, 4,252 CUs and 6,928 VVPATs,to be used in case complaints were received. Although there were several complaints alleging EVMs being manipulated through BlueTooth in Mehsana, Ghatlodia, Vadgam and Dhokla, technical teams found there was no truth in the allegations.