Congress and AAP workers staged protests outside a strong room in Bhopal on Friday after the live streaming stopped due to suspicious ‘power outage.’ The strong room in Bhopal has 2,265 EVMs from the city’s seven assembly constituencies that went to polls on 28 November.
Congress leader Yogendra Chouhan arrived at the strong room, where he alleged that the LED, meant to live stream the activities from inside the strong room was showing a recorded visuals from the morning. Lashing out at the officials, he said, “Are you guys showing us a Hindi film? You have made a mockery of assembly elections. Why are you not streaming the live visual? Why are you showing visuals from the morning?”
Congress workers in outside the building where EVMs are kept in Bhopal.. Congress workers are alleging that morning shots of strongroom, where EVMs have being kept, are being shown on LED… They are protesting why live shots of strongroom not being shown? #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/tOgqk23lU9
— Supriya Bhardwaj (@Supriya23bh) November 30, 2018
“A report has been sought from the district election officer,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao was quoted by Times of India.
The district administration had taken AAP and Congress leaders during the day to the strong room for an inspection. However, according to officials, the live streaming of visuals from inside the room was interrupted for over an hour due to power outage.
State AAP leader Alok Agrawal said that the development was a part of a large conspiracy adding that the district election officer Sudam Khade should be removed immediately.
Govt employees on election duty in MP staying at a local hotel owned by a BJP leader along with EVM's…!
Sarkar bi unki, EVM bi unka. pic.twitter.com/UOTMMy6cnP
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) November 29, 2018
The latest development coincided with another viral video showing election officials holding two VVPAT machines inside their hotel room. Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Congress tweeted, “The developments in MP as EVMs r found in BJP leader owned hotel in Shujalpur, CCTVs not functioning in strong rooms&EVMs recovered in Khurrai raise serious questions. Election Commission needs to address this on a priority. An indicator of BJPs defeat hence these dirty tricks.”
Congress leader Ahmed Patel too posted two videos alleging foul play. In one CCTV video, two men were seen carrying boxes from what appeared to be a strong room. In another video, a school bus seen carrying EVMs after the polling.
Patel wrote, “Sensing a defeat in Madhya Pradesh & Chattisgarh, some are indulging in desperate measures by attempting to tamper with EVM’s in strong rooms Urge the EC to investigate & take concrete action.”
Sensing a defeat in Madhya Pradesh & Chattisgarh, some are indulging in desperate measures by attempting to tamper with EVM’s in strong rooms
Urge the EC to investigate & take concrete action pic.twitter.com/y7QMD3MKqd
— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) December 1, 2018
This is absolutely shocking! pic.twitter.com/XJr8n3SdRp
— Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) December 1, 2018
In August this year, opposition parties had made a unified demand to do away with EVMs and return to ballot papers.