Gujarat elections: VVPAT at all booths during polls, added 17.46 lakh new voters, says CEC AK Joti

These voters were added during a “special enrolment drive” from October 9-25. The total number of voters in the state now stands at 4.35 crore.

On his meeting with leaders of political parties on Sunday, Joti said: “Political parties have demanded that a demonstration should be organised for them after the candidate-setting is done on EVM and VVPAT. They have also demanded removal of the clause on punishment to voter if his/her complaint regarding wrong recording in VVPAT turns out to be incorrect.”

“Some parties have demanded that central paramilitary forces be deployed in all sensitive polling stations,” he said. However, he did not reveal the number of polling booths that are considered “sensitive” or “critical” in Gujarat.

A total of 9.59 lakh women voters were added to during the roll revision, which pushed the gender ratio of voters in Gujarat to its highest of 921 women voters for every 1,000 male voters.

Compared to addition of female voters, only 7.86 lakh male voters were added during the October roll revision.

When quizzed about action on videos on EVM tampering, purportedly done during UP civic polls, that have made its way to social media, Joti said the local body elections were conducted under the jurisdiction of the state election commission and the ECI had no role to play. “The EVMs used by EC are not given to any state election commission and we have asked them to buy their own EVMs,” he said.

Political parties have also demanded installation of jammers in strong rooms where the EVMs are stored and polling station areas. They have also asked mobiles to be disallowed within 200 meters of polling stations.