11 EVMs replaced in Punjab after tampering complaint

Chandigarh: Election authorities in Punjab on Monday replaced 11 electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Mansa district after complaints that an unidentified person had tried to tamper with them.

Workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) had complained to the Election Commission (EC), alleging that an unidentified person had tried to break the seals of the EVMs in the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) office here late on Sunday.

The Mansa deputy commissioner immediately ordered that the 11 EVMs be replaced with new ones. The voting process that began at 8 a.m. on Monday, was, however, not affected by the incident.

The person who is said to have tried to tamper with the EVMs was able to escape. Despite a tight security cordon around the offices where EVMs were kept for voting, security agencies were caught off-guard on how this person reached inside the SDM office.

They complainants alleged the person was trying to press the button of the ruling Akali Dal on the EVMs.

We complained to the EC and the EVMs have been replaced. We are satisfied with the action, PPP president Manpreet Singh Badal said.