During the Maharashtra Assembly elections held on Wednesday, 65 percent voter turnout was recorded across 288 seats. Several instances of uproar over EVMs surfaced during the elections, including a notable case at Rajiv Gandhi School in Amravati's Gopal Nagar. Supporters of Shiv Sena's rebel candidate, Preeti Bandh, alleged that four EVM machines were being transported on a two-wheeler, accusing the administration of negligence, which led to a late-night tumult.
Upon receiving information about the incident, Amravati's Deputy Commissioner of Police Ganesh Shinde and Police Commissioner Sagar Patil arrived at the scene, ordering strict police deployment to control the situation.
Meanwhile, upon hearing about the EVM machines being transported on a two-wheeler, Shiv Sena rebel Preeti Bandh and BJP's Tushar Bharati rushed to Rajiv Gandhi School. After discussions with the police, they managed to pacify their respective supporters.
Commotion in Nagpur
Besides Amravati, a brief tense situation arose in the Central Nagpur Assembly constituency due to a misunderstanding. It was reported that post-voting, a zonal officer had stepped out with his vehicle to get some photocopies. However, some present individuals noticed EVMs inside his vehicle. This led to the immediate intervention of political party workers who stopped the vehicle, raised slogans, and began pelting stones.
Observing the tension, the zonal officer immediately drove away from the spot. The workers lodged a complaint at the police station. The situation was momentarily tense, but upon inspection, the original EVMs were found at the booth. Suspicion had arisen as the vehicle, intended for spare machine carriage, seemed to contain the original EVMs.
65% Turnout in Maharashtra
It’s noteworthy that approximately 65 percent voter turnout was recorded in the Maharashtra Assembly elections on Wednesday. Election officials indicated these figures are preliminary. In the 2019 Assembly elections, 61.74 percent voting was recorded in the state.
Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district witnessed a 69.63 percent turnout on Wednesday, compared to 54 percent in the financial capital, Mumbai. In the 2019 elections, Mumbai's voter turnout was 50.67 percent.
