MCD polls begin, delays at many places due to EVM snags

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) Voting to elect 272 councillors in the new House of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi began on a dull note this morning with snags in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at several polling centres leading to slight delays.

Several polling centres across the city reported slight delays due to malfunctioning of the EVMs. In fact, snags in EVMs were reported from over a dozen polling booths in the city.

Sources in the Delhi State Election Commission, however, said most of the snags had been rectified and polling was going on smoothly in these areas.

The EVMs are being used for the first time in the MCD polls.

Though the polling, which began at 0800 hrs amid tight security arrangements, began on a dull note, officials said it was likely to pick up as the day progressed.

Over 99 lakh voters in 12 municipal zones of Delhi are expected to cast their votes at 1050 polling stations for election to 272 wards in the MCD house, 46 of them reserved for the Scheduled Castes.

A total of 5800 polling personnel have been deployed at the polling stations to help the voters exercise their franchise at 9,649 polling booths.

About 2600 candidates are in the fray for the 272 wards after withdrawal of nominations on March 22.

Polling will end at 1700 hrs. Nearly 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 by the Delhi government on account of polling.

UNI