Kerala: AAP nominee holidays in Tokyo while repolling held in 3 booths

Kochi, Apr 23: Re-polling was held in three booths in

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, Waynad and Alathur Lok Sabha constituencies following malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM)s on April 10.

Meanwhile, controversy sparks over the alleged absence of Aam Aadmi Party candidate Anita Pratap in Ernakulam constituency, where she is contesting from, while repolling was held in one of the booths in the constituency after a complaint was filed by her party.

The re-polling was held in booth 118 in Pallinlankara in Kalamassery assembly constituency in Ernakulam following complaints from AAP over a faulty EVM. Congress candidate and Union Minister, K V Thomas, and CPI(M)-backed independent nominee Christy Fernandes visited the booth when the repolling began.

Repolling was held after AAP protested and wrote to election commission

However, AAP candidate, Anita Pratap, was conspicuous by her absence as she is away in Tokyo where her husband is Norwegian ambassador. AAP had protested about the non-functioning of the AAP symbol 'broom' in the EVM on April 10. The polling was stopped and the machine replaced. A complaint was lodged with the Election Commission following which re-polling was ordered. However, AAP leaders defended their leader saying the trip had been pre-planned.

The opposition parties questioned her absence and placed a banner near the polling booth in Kalamassery, asking ‘Where is Anita Pratap?' The banner was later removed by the police after election commission intervened.

About 80.35 per cent polling was recorded in the booth, election officials said. Re-polling was also held in booth 19 in Wadakancherry in Alathur constituency and booth no 24 in Puthupadi panchayat in Waynad.

Oneindia News

(With PTI inputs)