43% polling in 'peaceful' MCD elections, repoll at 10 places

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) In a lacklustre show nearly 43 per cent, two per cent less than in 2002, voting was reported in today's by and large 'peaceful polling' for the 272-seat Municipal Corporation of Delhi, even as police arrested 79 and detained 500 others.

With technical snags in EVMs, used for the first time, clashes between rivals and complaints of 'misappropriation' pouring in from several quarters the State Election Commissioner S P Marwah ordered repolling at ten places spread over four wards.

''I am satisfied by the smooth conduct of the polls which were by and large peaceful,'' Mr Marwah told newspersons while adding that repolling -- being done for the first time ever in municipal elections -- would be held tomorrow itself.

The police while stating that it was ''peaceful polling'' all over, 79 people were arrested for creating 'nuisance' during voting and 500 others detained from all over the city, even as nearly 90 calls were made for poll related discrepancies.

Additional Commisioner of Police Dependra Pathak told UNI that while 71 calls related to malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were received by the police from Kondli, Nithari and Sultanpuri areas, 16 other complaints of 'disturbances' were logged during the polling time between 0800-1700 hrs from all over the city.

''Police had to resort to mild tear gassing in Jehangirpuri area of East Delhi after a charged-up mob turned violent after EVMs broke down.'' Nearly six tear gas shells were used to disperse the mob, he said and added that no major incident concerning law and order took place.

Declining reports of lathicharge having taken place anywhere, Mr Pathak said at time the police has to resort to lathi-weilding, which does not imply charging at the people with it.

Police also informed that in Sultanpuri a motorcycle was burnt by an angry mob.

On the other hand, FIR was lodged against two candidates -- Ramesh Pandit (Congress) in Krishna Nagar and Sujit Kumar (Independant) -- for resorting to violence during polling.

In Gokulpuri, Congress MLA Baljor Singh (Nand Nagri) was injured in a clash between two parties.

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