DURING PREVIOUS LOK SABHA ELECTIONS, EVM OF THE BOOTH WHERE I HAD GONE TO CAST MY VOTE, SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING. TECHNICAL EXPERT WAS CALLED IN WHO ULTIMATELY SUCCEEDED IN RECTIFYING THE SNAG BUT ONLY AFTER WIPING OUT ALL THE VOTES THAT WERE ALREADY CAST TILL THEN. WHEN QUESTIONED, HE SAID THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO CORRECT THE SNAG EXCEPT TO START AFRESH.

ALL THE VOTES THAT WERE CAST TILL THEN, WERE WIPED OUT BEFORE MY EYES. WHEN I ASKED THE POLLING OFFICER TO CALL THOSE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM TO VOTE AGAIN, HE RESPONDED, IT WAS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS !!!

WAS THE SNAG GENUINE OR POLITICAL ??

IF THE MACHINE CAN BE MANIPULATED IN THIS MANNER WIPING OUT ALL THE VOTES ALREADY CAST, ANYTHING CAN BE DONE TO IT TO ENSURE DOCTORED RESULTS.

I IGNORED IT HITHERTO AS AN INCIDENT OF MINOR SIGNIFICANCE. NOW THAT LOT OF REPORTS ARE POURING IN ON IT'S UNRELIABILITY ON WEBSITES / NEWSPAPERS, I DECIDED TO DISCLOSE THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED BEFORE ME. THERE WERE SOME 10 MORE VOTERS STANDING THERE WHO WITNESSED IT THEMSELVES ALONGWITH ME.

ALL POLITICAL PARTIES MUST UNITE ON THIS ISSUE TO ENSURE, PAPER VOTES ARE USED AGAIN IN NEXT ELECTIONS.

VANDE MAATARAM I

RAMAKANT TIWARI