As Delhi awaits results, AAP raises concerns over safety of voting machines

New Delhi: As exit polls predicted an impressive victory for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in the Delhi assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress on Monday rejected the forecasts. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal raised concerns about alleged tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ahead of counting day on Tuesday.

Releasing a number of videos, AAP leaders alleged that several EVMs were being taken away from strongrooms illegally for tampering.

“The Election Commission should probe where these EVMs are being taken. There are no centres nearby. People caught hold of several EVMs in several locations of Delhi,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh tweeted, releasing two videos claiming they were of EVMs being moved illegally.

AAP leader and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said he received information that Election Commission (EC) officials were trying to take away EVMs in an “unauthorised manner.”

“Information has been received that officials are trying to take away EVMs at several places in an unauthorised manner. The EVMs should have been in strongrooms. How are these machines with the EC officials?” Sisodia told Gulf News.

On Monday, AAP convener Kejriwal called a meeting of senior party leaders and its chief election strategist Prashant Kishor to discuss the security of EVMs.

However, denying the charges, the EC said all EVMs used for elections on February 8 were sealed in front of the agents of all contesting parties. After that, they were sent to the strongrooms directly from polling stations.

“EVMs have been stored safely under police protection at centres, and party agents are also allowed to stay outside the centre if they wish,” the EC said in a statement.

An aggregate of half-a-dozen exit polls indicated that AAP will return to power with 56 seats whereas BJP will get 14, with Congress drawing a blank.

A party needs 36 seats in the 70-seat Delhi legislative assembly for a majority.

Meanwhile, the BJP brushed off the results of the exit polls. Expressing confidence that the saffron party will form the government in Delhi, senior BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi said the exit polls were not “exact.”

“The exit polls do not have their mathematics right. The data is collected only till 4pm. Our voters came late in the day and voted till evening. The exit polls have got it wrong before as well,” Lekhi told media.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also claimed a “clear victory” for the party.

Dismissing the exit polls, Tiwari tweeted, “Once we win, no one should blame the EVMs. All these exit polls will fail. Save this tweet. BJP will form a government in Delhi with 48 seats.”

The Congress party also rejected the exit poll findings, which predicted no change in the party’s fortunes from 2015. Congress leaders rubbished predictions that the party will again fail to open account in the election.

“The exit polls for Delhi legislative assembly elections have predicted that Congress will get no seat in the national capital. However, the exit poll results are not always correct as was visible during the election results in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,” veteran Congress leader P.C. Chacko told Gulf News.

Congress Delhi chief Subhash Chopra said the party would fare much better than what surveys predicted.

“We reject the exit polls. All Congress candidates contested with full vigour. There are at least 20 candidates who were involved in keen triangular contests with BJP and AAP. Congress will do much better than what surveys predict,” Chopra said.

Congress spokesperson Mukesh Sharma too disregarded the exit polls and said the actual results would startle everyone.

“Let others celebrate the exit poll results. I am confident that the actual results on February 11 will startle everyone,” Sharma told Gulf News.

The election results will be declared on Tuesday.