EVM snags, missing names mark MCD polls

New Delhi, Apr 5: A lukewarm response marked the polling for the 272-member Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) with snags reported in electronic voting machines in several areas resulting in disappointment among voters.

Polling at several centres like Kamla Nagar in North Delhi delayed by almost an hour in the morning due to malfunctioning of the electronic voting machines. Snags in EVMs were also reported from areas like Rohini and Gokulpuri.

With over four dozen polling booths in the city reporting malfunctioning of EVMs, a lot of voter disappointment was witnessed in many wards. People were also seen complaining of their names missing from the electoral list.

In some areas like Maujpur, there were reports of EVMs being damaged by voters.

The polling, which began on 0800 hours, started on an extremely dull note. Infact, just nearly seven per cent of voter turnout was reported during the first two hours of polling.

Low voter turnout is being largely attributed to the largescale malfunctioning of EVMs and lack of enthusiasm among people, despite people largely unhappy over rise in prices of essential commodities.

Though most of the snags were soon rectified, polling continued to move at a snails pace.

Prominent among those who voted were Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Ram Babu Sharma, Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan, Union minister Ajay Maken and Congress MLA Anjali Rai.

While Ram Babu Sharma cast his vote at a polling booth in Preet Vihar in East Delhi, Dr Harsh Vardhan, accompnaied by his wife, exercised his franchise in Krishna Nagar, also in East Delhi.

Over 99 lakh voters in 12 municipal zones of Delhi are to cast their votes at 1,050 polling stations for election to 272 wards in the MCD house, 46 of which were reserved for the Scheduled Castes.

Over 55,000 personnel have been deployed at polling stations to help the voters exercise their franchise at 9,649 polling booths.

About 2,600 candidates are in the fray for the 272 wards after withdrawal of nominations on March 22.

Polling will end at 1700 hrs.

About 58,000 security personnel, including 2,584 from the para-military forces and 4,403 from the Home Guards, are manning the polls. While 61 DCPs and Additional DCPs and 208 Assistant Commissioners are among the 50,546 Delhi Police personnel to oversee 'peaceful polling', 994 Inspectors, 14,503 Head Constables and 27,672 Constables from its cadre are part of the elaborate security arrangements in place for the elections.

Also, 34 companies of the Central para-military forces, comprising 2,584 personnel, and 4,403 Home Guards have been stationed at the plling stations.

Besides this, a separate 'police control room' has been set up by the Delhi Police with area ACP as 'Nodal Officer/Coordinator' and SHO as 'Assistant Liaison Officer/Coordinator', and inter-state borders sealed to check movement of anti-social elements.

A public holiday has been declared today by the Delhi government on account of polling.

UNI