Gujarat Polls
'Some parties question EVs but fall silent after winning polls': Chief Election Commissioner
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Thursday said some parties critical of the poll body question Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) but don't utter a word after they win elections through the same voting machines, according to media reports.
Rajiv Kumar was addressing a press conference to announce the Gujarat Assembly poll dates.
"At times, parties critical of the commission have got surprise results in elections. Some have questioned EVMs, but they are silent when they win elections through the same EVMs," the chief election commissioner responded to allegations of EVM tampering on Thursday, according to India Today.
He said the election dates could not be announced earlier due to the horrifying tragedy in Morbi that claimed over 140 lives and several factors including weather, were taken into account before finalising the dates.
November 14 is the last date to file nominations to contest the Gujarat polls.
The last date for withdrawing nominations is November 17.
While 89 seats will go to polls in the first phase, 93 will vote in the second.
The counting of votes for all 182 assembly seats will be held on December 8.
Special efforts will be made to improve turnout in polling booths with the least voter percentage, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said, adding that such polling stations will be identified in each constituency
The EC has earmarked over 51,000 polling stations for Gujarat assembly polls, including more than 34,000 in rural areas.
Over 4.9 crore total voters are eligible to vote in the elections.
"We are focussing on urban apathy seriously to improve voter turnout," CEC Rajiv Kumar said.
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