Scindia seeks poll hour extension over faulty EVMs; Presiding officer will decide, says CEC

Chief Election Commission O P Rawat on Wednesday said the local poll officers can choose to extend election time if required. His comment came after Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia asked to extend polling time after reports of EVMs malfunctioning emerged.

“There are provisions for the extension of time, the local officers can take the call as they see fit.  The matter does not need to be handled by the Commission,” said CEC Rawat.

“There were few complaints on malfunction of some EVMs & VVPAT machines, they’ve been replaced. If it's observed that voters left due to malfunction, we can consider re-polling at that particular polling station,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Scindia had said, "There have been many complaints of EVMs malfunctioning, have written to Election Commission. Have requested that voting time in these polling booths should be extended to compensate for the delay," says Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.

As polling commenced in 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday morning, reports of malfunctions in Electronic Voting Machines emerged from several places. 

Faulty machines or EVM malfunction has been reported from many polling booths across the state, reported Zee MP-Chhattisgarh. At least 100 EVMs were replaced by the Election Commission at several places. 

A total of 65,000 polling booths have been set up for the Assembly elections, including 2000 women-operated 'pink' booth.  "3 Lakh government employees including 45,000 women have been deployed on polling duty. 65,000 polling booths are being made in the state. Around 2,000 entirely women-only polling booths would be functional. 160 polling booths will be fully operated by differently-abled personnel," said Chief Electoral Officer, Madhya Pradesh, VL Kantha Rao earlier.

The poll results will be declared on December 11.