No Webcast, Wifi during counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh says CEO

Counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh will not be shown online via webcasting and Wi-fi will not be allowed inside the counting booths says Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state. However, the counting of votes will be monitored by the CCTV cameras.

The decision was taken on late Sunday night after the Congress party staged a protest with the Election Commission earlier in the day saying that private operators were being allowed to set up connections in counting booths in the state. The party leaders also highlighted the issue of faulty EVMs too.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday had said that Congress is distressed and that is why it is creating a hue and cry over EVM malfunctioning and several other baseless issues.

Earlier, then Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) OP Rawat had said that proceedings from 14,000 polling booths in Madhya Pradesh will be shown through webcast. The measure was being taken as part of efforts to ensure free and fair elections, he said.

Apparently, on December 7, an EVM used in polling in Rajasthan was found lying unclaimed in the Shahabad area of Kishanganj Assembly Constituency in Baran district.

A day before the polling in Madhya Pradesh, EVMs were found in a hotel allegedly belonged to a BJP supporter in Shajapur. In another incident, a strongroom in Bhopal faced a power blackout, leading to CCTV cameras in the premises not functioning for more than an hour.

In Madhya Pradesh, the halfway mark is 116 for the 230-seat Assembly. Among many exit polls, some have predicted that the BJP a majority; others have projected the Congress crossing the majority mark or being a few seats less.

Also read: Madhya Pradesh elections 2018: Jaitpur EVM records 45 more votes than polled