RTI activist Anil Galgali had filed a query with the Buldhana district collectorate seeking information about the complaint filed by independent candidate Ashatai Arun Zore and details of the inquiry report submitted by the Returning Officer (RO).
Buldhana district officials have admitted to a flaw in an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) used during the recent Zilla Parishad polls. The EVM, which was used in the district located in Vidarbha, "occasionally" recorded votes polled to an independent candidate in favour of her opponent from the BJP.
RTI activist Anil Galgali had filed a query with the Buldhana district collectorate seeking information about the complaint filed by independent candidate Ashatai Arun Zore and details of the inquiry report submitted by the Returning Officer (RO).
On February 16, when the elections to the Buldhana Zilla Parishad were held, Zore and her representatives had objected to the LED light flashing for the BJP candidate when votes were cast for Zore on an EVM unit in Sultanpur. This signified that when votes were polled for Zore, who was contesting from Sultanpur circle (whose election symbol was the coconut), they were tallied in favour of the BJP candidate.
A report signed by centre in-charge Ramnarayan Sawant and election officer Manikrao Bazad said the complaint made by a voter at around 10:00 am was found to be without substance. However, a similar complaint was made again at 1:30 PM and was found to be correct. This was brought to the notice of the Assistant Returning Officer, who visited the centre and verified the complaint.
The EVM was sealed and a machine kept in reserve was pressed into service to re-start the polling process. Later, a re-poll was conducted at voting centre number 57/6 on February 21, and in his letter to the State Election Commission, the Buldhana district collector admitted that there was substance to Zore's complaint.
An official from the Buldhana district collectorate denied charges of tampering. "This could be a technical fault," he said. "On an average, there are 60 seats in a Zilla Parishad. The problem occurred on one machine in one centre in a particular constituency. If there was deliberate tampering, similar complaints could have been reported from more machines in other centres."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "EVMs")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}