Villagers damage EVM and VVPAT machines in Vijayapura; Cong, BJP workers clash in Kalaburagi

VIJAYAPURA, KALABURGI : Villagers of Masabinala in Basavana Bagevadi taluk created a ruckus at a polling booth, damaged the EVMs and VVPATs after assuming that the voting process was stopped midway, on Wednesday.

The incident occurred when the election staff shifted additional EVM machines from Bisanala and Donu villages to Vijayapura.

The villagers assaulted election officers and damaged their vehicle too. A tense atmosphere prevailed for some time at the polling booth, and only later could the polling officialsand police officers bring the situation under control.

Some villagers questioned the polling officials why they were shifting the excess EVMs, which were kept at substitute, and asked what they would do if problems occurred with the EVM and in VVPAT machine while voting. But the staff allegedly did not give a proper answer to the villagers. Enraged by this, some villagers broke the EVMs on the premises of the polling booth.

In an alleged instance of fake voting by the Congress at the Global School polling station at Tarfile Layout in Kalaburgi, a brawl broke out between Congress and BJP party workers. The BJP shouted slogans against Congress and tension prevailed at the polling station for some time. As soon as information was received, senior officers visited the spot and sorted out the issue.