54 Percent Turnout in High-Stake Kairana Bypoll
The Kairana bypoll will see a joint Opposition – SP, BSP and Congress – taking on the ruling BJP.
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High Stake Bypolls in 4 Lok Sabha, 10 Assembly Seats
The stage is set for bypolls to four Lok Sabha seats, including the politically-crucial Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, and 10 Assembly constituencies across 10 states on Monday, 28 May.
Besides Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh, by-election will be held in Bhandara-Gondiya and Palghar parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra, and for the Nagaland Lok Sabha seat.
The Assembly bypolls will take place in Maharashtra (Palus Kadegaon constituency), Uttar Pradesh (Noorpur), Bihar (Jokihat), Jharkhand (Gomia and Silli), Kerala (Chengannur), Meghalaya (Ampati), Punjab (Shahkot), Uttarakhand (Tharali) and West Bengal (Maheshtala).
Votes will be counted on 31 May.
Voting Underway in Four Lok Sabha Constituencies, 10 Assembly Seats
Voting for the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh and Bengaluru’s RR Nagar Assembly seat have begun.
LDF Candidate Saji Cherian Casts Vote for Chengannur Assembly Seat
Voting Begins For Shahkot Assembly Seat
Polling to Punjab’s Shahkot Assembly seat – in which the Congress is hoping to maintain its winning momentum in the state while the Akali Dal is trying to retain the seat – has begun.
The Shahkot bypoll was necessitated following the demise of Akali MLA Ajit Singh Kohar in February this year.
The ruling Congress has fielded Hardev Singh Laddi, while the Akali Dal has given a ticket to Kohar's son, Naib Singh Kohar. The Aam Aadmi Party has nominated Rattan Singh Kakkar Kalan for the Shahkot bypoll.
Voting Stalled at Public Inter College, Kairana
Voting was stalled at Public Inter College in Kairana due to faulty Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), reported ANI.
Voting Starts for Palghar, Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha Bypolls
In Maharashtra, out of the 2,097 polling booths in Palghar, 14 have been listed as critical. In Bhandara-Gondia, out of 2,149 polling booths, 71 are situated in Naxal-hit areas and 113 are listed as critical, reported PTI.
Why Are By-Elections Being Held in Kairana?
The bypoll to Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana was necessitated following the death of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hukum Singh in February.
His daughter, Mriganka Singh, is the BJP candidate this time and is pitted against Rashtriya Lok Dal's Tabassum Hasan.
Hasan, who had in 2009 won from Kairana on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, is also supported by the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, and the BSP.
We Are Focussing on Development, Says BJP's Mriganka Singh
Speaking to News18, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kairana candidate Mriganka Singh said that the saffron party was only focussing on development and good governance.
“If you want to have a better future for Kairana, vote for the BJP,” she added.
Speaking on the issue of payments to sugarcane farmers, Singh said, “There were certain problems and issues of payments to sugarcane farmers but these issues have been addressed by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister himself.”
Polling Agents Ask for New EVMs in Uttrakahand's Sarpani
Polling agents of all political parties demand a new Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) after mock poll at a polling booth in Sarpani (Uttrakhand) was stalled due to faulty EVMs.
Voting Hasn't Started at a Booth in Maharsahtra for Lok Sabha Bypolls
Voting has not started yet at polling booth number 170 in Maharashtra’s Arjun-Morgaon area of Gondiya due to a faulty EVM.
Faulty EVMs in Maharshtra's Palghar & Bhandara
According to ANI, 11 faulty EVMs have been reported across polling booths in Maharashtra’s Palghar and Bhandara Lok Sabha constituencies.
Voting Underway in Nagaland for Lok Sabha Bypolls
The voting in lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat is currently underway.
10.20% Voting Recorded till 9 am in Kairana
10.20 percent voting was recorded till 9 am in the bypoll to Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, reported ANI.
EVM and VVPAT Malfunction in Punjab's Shahkot
In Punjab’s Shahkot Assembly bypoll, four VVPAT machines have been replaced during polling due to technical failure. One control unit and three VVPAT machines were earlier replaced during mock polls for the same.
6% Voting Recorded in Uttar Pradesh's Noorpur
According to ANI, 6 percent voting was recorded till 9 am in Uttar Pradesh’s Noorpur Assembly bypoll on Monday, 28 May.
Machines are Being Tampered With: Tabassum Hasan, RLD Candidate
With reports of faulty machines emerging, Tabassum Hasan, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate for Kairana, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Speaking to the media outside a polling station, Hasan said, “Machines are being tampered with everywhere. Faulty machines haven't been replaced in Muslim and Dalit-dominated areas. They (BJP) think they can win polls like this, but that won't happen.”
BJP Wants to Avenge Defeat in Phulpur & Gorakhpur: SP Leader Rajendra Chaudhary
Addressing the media on Monday, 28 May, Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary said that the BJP wants to take revenge for its defeat in the Phulpur and Gorakhpur bypolls.
“There are reports that in Noorpur 140 EVMs are faulty, which is because they have been tampered with. There are similar reports from Kairana. They (BJP) want to avenge their defeat in Phulpur and Gorakhpur and they want to defeat us at any cost,” Chaudhary alleged.
Why Are Bypolls Being Held in Bihar's Jokihat?
Around 18 percent polling was registered till 10 am for the bypoll to the Jokihat Assembly seat in Bihar, a top election official told PTI.
Tight security arrangements are in place to ensure free and fair polls for the Assembly seat which fell vacant after the resignation of sitting MLA Sarfaraz Alam.
Altogether 2.70 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their right to franchise to decide the fate of nine candidates contesting from this seat in Araria district.
Having won the seat in 2015 on a JD(U) ticket, Alam switched over to the RJD in March this year and got elected as Araria MP in a bypoll necessitated by the death of his father, Mohd Taslimuddin.
RLD Kairana Candidate Knocks EC's Door
Tabassum Hasan, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate for Kairana Lok Sabha bypolls, has written to the Election Commission over faulty EVMs and VVPATs in around 175 polling booths across Shamli, Kairana and Noorpur.
RR Nagar Records 21% Voter Turnout
Karnataka’s RR Nagar constituency has recorded 21 percent voter turnout till 11 am. The voting began at 7 am amid tight security.
The elections to the Assembly segment were deferred due to the seizure of 9,564 election photo identity cards (EPIC) from an apartment at Jalahalli.
44% Voter Turnout in Nagaland's Lok Sabha Seat,
Around 44 percent voters exercised their right to franchise in the first four hours of polling for Nagaland's lone Lok Sabha seat.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio cast his vote at a polling booth at Touphema Basa village, around 25 km from the state capital, around 10 am, sources told PTI.
The ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), which has the NDPP and the BJP as it major constituents, has fielded former minister Tokheho Yepthomi from the seat.
Altogether, 11,97,436 people are eligible to exercise their franchise at 2,196 polling stations across the state, Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha told PTI.
Voting began at 7 am and will go on till 4 pm in 1,887 polling stations, while it will end an hour ahead in 309 booths, the CEO told PTI.
Altogether, 40 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, along with 80 companies of Nagaland Armed Police, 770 Home Guards and 2,600 village guards, have been deployed across the state to ensure free and fair polls, Sinha added.
Akhilesh Yadav Asks People to Vote
In a Facebook post, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has appealed to the people to go out and vote despite reports of EVM malfunction.
31% Voting Recorded in Punjab's Shahkot Assembly Bypolls
Punjab’s Shahkot recorded 31 percent voter turnout till 11 am.
283 EVMs Develop Technical Snag in Maharashtra's Palghar: Reports
According to media reports, 283 electronic voting machines (EVM) in Maharashtra’s Palghar have developed a technical snag.
SP Writes to EC Over EVM Tampering
Following reports of EVM and VVPAT malfunction in Kairana and Noorpur, Samajwadi Party wrote to the Election Commission alleging that the EVM machines were tampered with at the direction of the central government.
Voting Suspended at 35 Polling Stations in Bhandara-Gondia
According to ANI, Maharshtra district magistrate, Abhimanyu Kale, has said that voting has been temporarily suspended at 35 polling booths due to faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in Maharashtra’s Bhandara-Gondia.
EVM, VVPAT malfunction indicate EC failure: Anil Desai, Shiv Sena
As reports of technical failure have emerged from across the country, Shiv Sena minister Anil Desai has said that the technical problems in EVM and VVPATs clearly indicate the failure of the Election Comission.
“If this is the situation in bypolls, think about coming Lok Sabha elections. We've said it again and again and other parties have also agreed that elections should be conducted using ballot papers,” Desai added.
33% Voter Turnout in West Bengal's Maheshtala Assembly Bypoll
Around 33 percent voting was recorded in the Maheshtala Assembly bypoll till 11 am, the Election Commission (EC) told PTI.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Kasturi Das. Maheshtala is witnessing a triangular contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP and the Left Front.
21% Voter Turnout in Kairana till 11 am
Over 21 percent polling was recorded till 11 am in the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, while 22 percent votes were polled in Noorpur Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, reported PTI.
The Opposition has complained of EVMs malfunctioning in several polling booths.
15,000 Voters Boycotted Polling in Palghar's Vasai Tehsil
Around 15,000 voters from Mali Ali, Mavanda, Navale and Nandanvan villages in Palghar's Vasai tehsil boycotted polling, citing lack of development in their area, PTI reported.
Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Hitendra Thakur claimed that "the entire Election Commission machinery is working on behalf of the BJP in Palghar."
In Palghar, the bypoll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJP MP Chintaman Wanaga. The BJP's bickering ally, Shiv Sena, has fielded the late MP's son, Srinivas Wanaga, in a bid to garner sympathy votes.
34% Voter Turnot in Karnataka's RR Nagar, 44% in Punjab's Shahkot
According to ANI, 34 percent voters cast their vote in Bengaluru’s RR Nagar till 1 pm. The voter turnout in Punjab’s Shahkot was 44 percent.
New Machines Are Working Properly: Palghar's Returning Officer
Speaking to ANI on the news of EVM tampering, Prashant Narnaware, Palghar’s Returning Officer, said, “Encountered problems and panic in the initial hours, but nothing has happened after 12 pm. The new machines are working properly and we are in consultation with the Central Election Commission about extension of voting time.”
19.25% Voter Turnout in Maharashtra's Palghar Bypoll
As many as 19.25 percent of the electorate turned out to cast their votes in Maharashtra’s Palghar bypolls till 1 pm.
Around 450 EVMs Malfunctioned in Maharashtra's Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya
Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader and former MP Prakash Ambedkar has said around 450 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) malfunctioned in Maharashtra’s Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituencies, reported PTI.
"There have been certain cases of failure due to technical problem of EVMs and VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) machines during polling in Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha constituencies which have been replaced," an election official said.
NCP Leader Demands Re-Election in Bhandara-Ghondiya
Senior NCP leader Praful Patel took to Twitter to demand re-elections in Bhandara-Ghondiya where polling was suspended at 35 booths following complaints of EVM malfunctioning.
RLD, SP to Meet EC Over EVM Malfunction
According to News18, RLD leader Ajit Singh and SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav will meet the Election Commission today at 3:15 pm in New Delhi’s Ashoka Road.
EC Says No Cancellation in Maharashtra's Bhandara-Ghondiya LS Seat
Following reports of election cancellation in 35 poll stations in Maharashtra’s Bhandara-Ghondiya, election commission has now clarified saying that there has been no cancellation, reported News18.
In a statement, EC has said, “ It is clarified that voting has not been cancelled in any polling station in 11-Bhandara-Gondiya PC and voting is continuing smoothly after necessary replacements, where ever required.”
Palghar BJP Candidate Seeks Extension of Polling Time
The BJP candidate for the Palghar Lok Sabha seat bypoll on Monday demanded that the polling time be extended in view of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) malfunctioning in some booths, reported PTI.
The poll representative of BJP's nominee Rajendra Gavit submitted a memorandum to election officials in the district, seeking extension of the polling time due to malfunctioning of EVMs and the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines in some booths.
Ampati Bypoll in Meghalaya: 65 Percent Voting till 1:30pm
About 65 percent votes were cast till 1.30 pm in the bypoll to Ampati assembly seat in Meghalaya, election office sources said.
The voting has been peaceful and incident free so far, Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor told PTI.
SAD Leader Detained for Bringing Pistol to Polling Booth
SAD leader Brij Bhupinder Singh Lalli was detained by police after he allegedly brought his licensed revolver into a polling booth in Shahkat, reported The Times of India.
EVM Failure Reports Exaggerated, Says EC
The Election Commission on Monday termed as "exaggerated projection of reality" reports of 'large scale' failure of EVMs during Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Amid reports of faulty EVMs from various polling stations, the Commission came out with a statement to deny that the failure of the voting machines was unusual.
"... the Commission allocates sufficient reserve of EVMs and VVPATs for every general and by election to the Lok Sabha or state assembly. It is pertinent to mention that during commissioning of EVMs and VVPATs, apart from EVMs and VVPATs required for deployment at every polling station, adequate number of reserve EVMs and VVPATs (around 20-25 per cent) are prepared to replace any defective machine on poll day at the polling station," it said.
Samajwadi Party Demands for Extra Time for Voting
Samajwadi party leader Ram Gopal Yadav has confirmed that the party has asked the EC to extend voting time to make up for the time lost over fixing faulty EVMs.
“We demanded from EC, re-polling in places where more than one and a half hours were wasted and extra time after 6 pm for voters in places where less time was wasted so that they can vote,” Yadav told reporters.
A multi-party delegation met the EC over by-polls in Kairana and Noorpur.
VVPATs Faulty, Not EVMs: Shamli DM
Vikram Singh, District Magistrate of Shamli said that the VVPATs were faulty and not the EVMs.
“The issues were being faced in VVPAT machines and not EVMs. The problem has been solved now. Some machines have been replaced at some booths. The voting is now running smoothly,” said Singh.
Shiv Sena, NCP Express Reservations on EVMs
The Shiv Sena and the NCP, on 28 May, alleged malfunctioning in electronic voting machines (EVMs) during bypolls for Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
Former Union minister Praful Patel claimed that almost 25 percent of EVMs malfunctioned in the bypoll to Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seat, while Sena leader Sanjay Raut said those in power were contesting elections while keeping the "key and remote of EVMs in their hands".
Patel sought to know why EVMs from Surat in Gujarat were used in the bypoll when similar machines were available in Maharashtra. "EVMs were available in Maharashtra. What was the reason for bringing EVMs from Surat in Gujarat? We have expressed our doubts to the Election Commission," Patel told reporters in Gondia.
Voter Turnout till 5 pm
- Nagaland's parliamentary constituency: 70 percent voter turnout
- Mahesthala, West Bengal: 70.01 percent voter turnout
- Shahkot, Punjab: 69 percent voter turnout
- Noorpur, Uttar Pradesh : 57 percent voter turnout
- Palghar, Maharashtra: 40.37 percent voter turnout
- Kairana, Uttar Pradesh: 54.17 percent voter turnout
- Ampati, Meghalaya: 85 percent voter turnout (till 4pm)
BJP Delegation Meets EC in Delhi
BJP delegation met EC officials in Delhi over reports of malfunctioning in EVMs during by-polls on Monday. BJP's Arun Singh told ANI, “We told them that we received info that EVMs worked either late or with some issues or didn't work at all in 197 booths. We demanded repolling at few stations.”
People Went Back Without Voting Due to Faulty Evms: Kairana BJP Candidate
Mriganka Singh, BJP Candidate from Kairana Lok Sabha bypolls said that there was massive technical snag in the EVMs.
“There was massive technical snag in the EVMs and total breakdown of systems. My supporters went back without voting as machines were not working. My party leaders have approached the EC regarding the matter,” said Singh.
VVPATs Malfunctioned Due to Scorching Heat: Bhandara DM
Abhimanya Kale, Bhandara District Magistrate said that the VVPATs malfunctioned due to “scorching heat”.
“Some VVPAT machines malfunctioned at the time of voting. It was due to . We solved the problem by repairing most of them. The machines which could not repaired, were immediately replaced. News of re-polling is wrong,” said Kale.
54.17 Voter Turnout
An Election Commission official told PTI that 54.17 percent of voter turnout was recorded in Kairana byelections. There were several complaints of EVM malfunctioning at various booths in the district.
Various parties across states met the Election Commission over faulty EVMs in the bypolls of different constituencies and demanded that polling time be extended as many voters faced issues while voting.
With voting for bypolls underway in four Lok Sabha seats and 10 Assembly seats across nine states, EVM and VVPAT glitches have also been reported from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
The Samajwadi Party has submitted a complaint to the Election Commission alleging EVMs were being tampered with at the Centre’s direction.
- RLD’s Kairana candidate Tabassum Hasan has submitted a complaint to EC over EVM glitches
- NCP Leader Praful Patel demands scrapping of EVMs and re-election in Bhandara-Ghondiya
- By-elections are being held in Bhandara-Gondiya and Palghar parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra, and for the Nagaland Lok Sabha seat
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Published: 27 May 2018,04:37 AM IST