Kairana bypolls: Heat wave today, rains tomorrow? Akhilesh Yadav's swipe at EVM malfunctioning row

Even as the Election Commission of India rubbished the EVM malfunctioning claims in the Kairana bypolls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday demanded the return of paper ballots. 

Taking at swipe at the authorities, the SP chief said that today it is being said that the heat wave affected the voting machines, tomorrow it can be rain or winters! 

#BackToBallotSaveDemocracy #NoToEVM

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 28, 2018

Meanwhile, the EC assured that faulty machines were being changed and a re-poll would be ordered, wherever necessary.

The assurance came against the backdrop of opposition Samajwadi Party and RLD complaining of snags in the electronic voting machines.

"Receiving reports of problems in EVMs in the bye-elections but still voters should go to cast votes," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted.

SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary charged that 140 EVMs were tampered with in Noorpur while similar reports had come in from Kairana as well.

"The BJP wants to avenge its defeat in earlier bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur anyhow and win these bypolls," Chaudhary claimed.

RLD spokesman Anil Dubey said there were reports of EVM malfunctioning in both the constituencies, especially in areas of RLD-SP influence.

"We (RLD and SP) are going to meet the CEO to lodge a formal complaint in this regard," Dubey said.

Refuting the opposition charge, government spokesperson and cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma said, "Government has asked the EC to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. The opposition's allegations are baseless, and sensing their defeat they have started playing gimmicks and talking things which are untrue. As far as EVMs are concerned, I am also getting complaints, and the EC will look into it."

UP Chief Electoral Officer, L Venkateswarlu said faulty EVMs were being replaced.

(With inputs from PTI)