Gujarat polls: Amid EVM glitches, Ahmed Patel calls for immediate action

Ankleshwar (Gujarat): With reports of multiple faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) hitting the headlines in the very first hour of voting for the Gujarat elections, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday requested quick action.

Patel took to Twitter and said, "There are reports of EVM malfunctioning in several polling stations. Request the Election Commission (EC) to take necessary action immediately." (sic)

Earlier in the day, the poll panel received several complaints about the EVM malfunctioning in Kosamba region of Valsad district.

According to media reports, an EVM was also tampered with in Rajkot East constituency, a complaint to the EC said.

Meanwhile, talking to the reporters here, Patel slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"People from all social groups have gathered to vote because in three years, the BJP government has not done anything at the Centre, nor have they done anything in Gujarat in the last 22 years", he said.

"They did not fulfil any of the promises made in their manifestos of previous elections," Patel added.

The first phase of voting in 89 assembly constituencies of Gujarat has begun today.

The second phase will be held on December 14 for 93 assembly constituencies while counting of the votes will be done on December 18.