EVM glitches reported in several areas in Delhi
New Delhi, May 12: Complaints about malfunctioning EVMs poured in from several places of the national capital on Sunday where voting is underway.
Adarsh Gupta, a resident of Matia Mahal area, claimed that at polling booths 84, 85 and 86, electronic voting machines were not working in the morning.
Aam Aadmi Party's Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that EVMs at booths 116,117 and 122 were not functioning.
"EVM in booth 132, Hauzrani is showing 50 votes without anyone casting any vote in the machine n EVMs at booths 116,117, 122 in Malviya nagar not functioning," Bharti tweeted.
Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said 5.5 per cent EVMs were replaced in the morning, adding that problems in EVMs were reported from Chandni Chowk and West Delhi.
"Mock polls happened in the morning and where machines were found defective they were replaced. 5.5 per cent EVMs were replaced during morning hours and that might have caused delay in start of polling," Singh said.
Mudit Agarwal, son of Congress's Chandni Chowk candidate JP Agarwal, alleged EVMs malfunctioned at some booths in Matia Mahal and Ballimaran assembly segments.
According to a police official, they received information about an EVM not working at Begum Pur in Rohini but the issue was addressed.
AAP's Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh alleged that EVMs at polling booth number 27 were not working in the morning.
"At Prithivi Park polling booth in Tilak Nagar assembly segment, EVMs had not been working since 7 am at polling booth 27. It is the same area where AAP's vote bank is considered," Singh said.
He said the Election Commission claimed that faulty EVMs are changed within ten minutes, but at ground, such claims are telling a different story.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said voters were unable to find if their votes were cast in Najafgarh constituency.
"Voters unable to find their votes at polling booths. It is true that on large scale votes have been deleted. All these are residents of Jai Vihar I, Najafgarh," he tweeted.
Over 1.43 crore people in Delhi are eligible to vote in this election which will decide the fate of 164 candidates, of which 18 are women. There are 43 independent candidates.
While 2,54,723 voters are in the age group of 18 and 19, there are 40,532 electorate with disability who would be provided pick up and drop facility.
The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
