A Madhya Pradesh state transport school bus in Khurai carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) reportedly reached the collection centre in Sagar district on Friday, November 30, two days after elections in the state. The bus, reportedly, did not bear any registration plates.

NDTV reported that Congress workers in Khurai alleged that the bus was diverted to the hotel owned by M.P. home minister Bhupendra Singh prior to reaching the collection centre. Khurai is also Singh’s constituency. Reportedly, Congress workers, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to manipulate the results, also protested outside the collection centre demanding action against the officials involved.

In a tweet, MP Congress said that stringent action needed to be taken against the collector, Superintendent of Police (SP) and all those who were involved in election duty.

मप्र के गृहमंत्री के क्षेत्र में मतदान के 48 घंटे बाद बिना नंबर की गाड़ी से ईवीएम स्ट्रांग रूम में जमा कराने का प्रयास हुआ। —भाजपा को जिताने के लिये ईवीएम बदलने की सरकारी साज़िश..? कलेक्टर, एसपी समेत निर्वाचन कार्य में लगे तमाम लोगों पर सख़्त कार्यवाही कर लोकतंत्र की रक्षा हो। pic.twitter.com/lj588NdyA5 — MP Congress (@INCMP) November 30, 2018

Sharing a video on Twitter, MP Congress vice-president Shilpi Singh called it a huge conspiracy against the Congress. Singh mentioned that three Bolero jeeps with EVMs had also reached the collection centre.



Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Elections: Polling Begins With EVMs Malfunctioning Across the State

MP Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEO) has reportedly refuted the allegations. According to the NDTV report, the CEO said these were reserve EVMs which were to be used only if an EVM used in the polls developed technical problems. “These are EVMs kept as ‘Reserve’ stationed at some Police stations, to be used as replacement for malfunctioning machines during Poll. Such machines were to be stored separately from polled EVMs. Strong room having Polled EVMs was neither opened nor was supposed to be opened,” the state CEO clarified through a tweet.”

These are EVMs kept as ‘Reserve’ stationed at some Police stations, to be used as replacement for malfunctioning machines during Poll. Such machines were to be stored separately from polled EVMs. Strong room having Polled EVMs was neither opened nor was supposed to be opened. https://t.co/usco7xQpD1 — CEOMPElections (@CEOMPElections) November 30, 2018

In another tweet, the CEO added that the “unique number code” for all such EVMs used in the elections had been sent to the political parties. “Every EVM has a unique number code for it. The numbers of EVM used in polling have been shared with all political parties. The numbers of reserved EVM’s have been checked by political parties in Sagar districts. Their numbers are different.”

Every EVM has a unique number code for it. The numbers of EVM used in polling have been shared with all political parties. The numbers of reserved EVM’s have been checked by political parties in sagar districts. Their numbers are different https://t.co/ze8KsoHfh1 — CEOMPElections (@CEOMPElections) December 1, 2018

Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: EC Suspends Two Officers for Taking EVMs to Hotel Allegedly Owned by BJP Member