Non-BJP parties complain of EVM problems in J&K

Srinagar, DHNS: Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir — Congress, National Conference and PDP — alleged on Thursday that security forces personnel "coerced" people to vote for the BJP and that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in some places malfunctioned.

People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted a video showing voters raising anti-BJP slogans after they were allegedly "roughed up" by BSF personnel for not voting for the saffron party.

"A voter at a polling booth in Jammu was manhandled by the BSF because he refused to cast his vote for BJP. Using armed forces at polling stations to coerce people to vote for the BJP shows their desperation & hunger to usurp power by hook or crook,"(sic) she tweeted.

A voter at polling booth in Jammu was manhandled by the BSF because he refused to cast his vote for BJP. Using armed forces at polling stations to coerce people to vote for the BJP shows their desperation & hunger to usurp power by hook or crook. pic.twitter.com/Hmr8zocQ44

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 11, 2019

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Earlier, the NC leader and another former CM Omar Abdullah also shared the link on twitter: "Congress symbol button not working in Poonch polling stations ||Mangnar... https://youtu.be/LKkfBkLpWAE via @YouTube (sic)"

Congress symbol button not working in Poonch polling stations ||Mangnar ... https://t.co/g9f6q4Phw4 via @YouTube

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 11, 2019

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Loran public left polling station without casting vote https://t.co/T4zj4JJ7Rj via @YouTube

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 11, 2019

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Congress candidate from Jammu Lok Sabha seat, Raman Bhalla alleged large scale EVM malfunction in Poonch and Mendhar belt of the constituency. He said that people have protested over the issue.

Another Congress leader and former state minister Shabir Khan told reporters that the defective EVMs were sent to remote and rural areas of border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. "People held protests against it, but nothing has been done to repair the machines," he alleged.

Earlier, amid tight security, the polling began at 7 am in Jammu and Baramulla Lok Sabha constituencies. There were no reports of violence from any place.