Meerut: Even as voting is underway in the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Municipal elections, several complaints have surfaced in Meerut about EVMs voting only for the BJP.

In ward number 89 of the western UP city, people complained that EVM is casting votes only for the BJP no matter which button is pressed. This led to some ruckus in the polling booth. Later the Divisional Commissioner of Meerut Dr. Prabhat Kumar told the media that the complaint was being looked into.

Another incident was reported from Dhavai Nagar locality of Meerut where the machine was voting for BJP and NOTA in case any button was pressed. A BSP supporter who went to vote in Dhavai Nagar recorded the incident on his phone showing how once he pressed on the button for the BSP candidate the vote was registered in the account of BJP and NOTA.

He later uploaded the video on social media which created a huge uproar. Later voting was immediately stopped and was resumed only after the EVM was replaced.

Similarly EVM malfunctioning was reported from ward number 55 at South DUJ Inter college in Gorakhpur. The EVM did not work for around one and half hour due to which the voting process was halted. Not even a single vote was cast till 10 am which led to long queues in the booth.

The incidents were reported amid strong claims by the opposition that EVM was not tampering proof. But the additional state election commissioner Ved Prakash told the media that no EVM in Meerut was tampered with. He rejected the allegation of EVM tampering and said the “claims of EVM tampering are false”.

The civic body polls hold extreme significance because it is first test of the Yogi Adityanath government and the results would be seen as people’s mandate on six month of Adityanath’s rule.