The faulty VVPAT machine that triggered a debate about the reliability of EVMs had just comeback from duty in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, says a report.

During a trial-run of EVM machines last week ahead of Madhya Pradesh bypolls on April 9, one of the machines dispensed VVPAT (paper)slips with BJP votes on it despite pressing buttons representing other parties.

A report in The Times Of India says that five Election Commission officials reached Bhind, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, for a check on the VVPAT machines.

The report adds that the EVM in question was faulty, say the EC officials. The TOI report adds that the machine was among the 300 sent to Madhya Pradesh for the upcoming by-elections to Ater in Bhind and Bandhavgarh in Umaria. After examining the machine, sources told the newspaper that it was last used in Kanpur’s Govindnagar seat.

The result of the seat in the recently concluded assembly polls, as per the Election Commission is as follows:

The EVM controversy first erupted when BSP chief Mayawati accused the BJP-led government of ‘rigging EVMs’, alleging that votes polled for other parties were finding their way to the BJP. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also joined in the chorus. The controversy rekindled over the weekend after the VVPAT in question was only dispensing BJP slips. The Collector of Bhind and the SP were transferred over the controversy and the EC had sent in officials with technical teams to look into the allegations.

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