Haridwar: Elderly man throws EVM on ground, demands voting through ballot paper

An elderly voter in Uttarakhand's Haridwar threw an electronic voting machine (EVM) on the ground, demanding voting take place through ballot paper.

 

The incident happened during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections underway in Haridwar today.

 

Police said the EVM was a bit damaged but was not replaced as it continued functioning.

 

According to the police, Randhir, 70, was taken into custody after information was received about the incident at booth number 126 of the Jwalapur Inter College polling station.

 

When his turn came to vote, the man picked up the EVM and threw it on the ground. He shouted that he opposed using EVMs and that elections should only be conducted through ballot paper. The police suspected the man to be mentally ill.

 

He was released a few hours after detention.