Maratha Quota Supporter Tries to Set EVM on Fire at Polling Station in Solapur, Gets Arrested

Madha: A man allegedly tried to set an EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) on fire in Sangola tehsil of Solapur district during the third phase of polling that was underway in Madha Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra on Tuesday. 

No damage was caused to the ballot unit, VVPT unit and control unit but the EVM was replaced, he said, adding there was no need for repolling at the concerned polling station. The voter was taken into police custody.

The incident occurred at a Badalwadi polling station in Sangola tehsil.

"A voter tried to set an EVM machine on fire in a polling booth number 86 at Badalwadi. The incident left a ballot unit slightly blackened, however, all three apparatus- ballot unit, control unit and VVPAT were intact and safe and it did not affect the polling process," said Solapur district collector Kumar Ashirwad.

The collector said poll officials replaced the EVM with a new one to rule out any scope for doubt.

"After replacing the EVM, the polling continued peacefully. The person, who tried to set the EVM on fire, was taken into custody by police for further probe," he said.

He said the votes recorded in the affected EVM are intact and can be counted. " Thus there is no need for re-polling at the polling station".

A police official said the man carried some inflammable substance with him and tried to start fire. He was immediately overpowered by security personnel at the polling station.

According to the official, the man is a Maratha quota supporter. Polling was held in 11 of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the third phase on Tuesday.

In Madha, BJP's sitting MP Ranjit Naik-Nimbalkar is locked in a close fight with Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar). 

Voters Reach Booth Against All Odds

Enthusiastic voters reached polling booths trekking steep hilly paths, crossing a river and even on a horse to cast their votes in remote areas of the tribal-dominated Balrampur district in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, officials said.

Balrampur district falls under the Surguja Lok Sabha constituency which was among seven seats where polling was held in third and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state.

The Surguja Lok Sabha recorded 74.59 per cent voting, as per the Turnout application.

Voters, belonging to Pahadi Korva, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, including Rajesh, Madan, Sukhu, Gopal and Nandlal, crossed a river to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in village panchayat Amera under the Samri assembly constituency, a government official said.

Similarly, electors, including Lakhan Nagesia, Sahu, Phulsai and Kalesh of Bachwar village under the Ramanujganj assembly constituency walked through hilly terrain for about two hours covering 8 kms to reach a polling booth and cast their vote, he said.

A voter, Parimal Dey, reached a polling booth in Sagarpur village under the Ramanujganj assembly seat on a horse, the official said. (with PTI inputs)