Webcast counting of votes, share link with political parties: Samajwadi Party to polls body

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 9 : A day after former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav alleged "tampering with electronic voting machines", Samajwadi Party (SP) wrote a letter to the Election Commission and demanded the webcasting of the counting process in all constituencies of Uttar Pradesh to ensure "efficient, independent and free of partisanship" counting.
In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party has requested the poll body to send the link of the webcast to all political parties, apart from the Election Commissioner of India and the other key election officials, so that it can be watched live.
This development comes after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged "tampering with electronic voting machines" saying BJP was scared as his party was winning Ayodhya. He urged the Election Commission to look into the issue.
"Samajwadi Party is winning Ayodhya that is why BJP is scared. Election Commission officials tampering with EVMs," he claimed at a press conference here. Yadav also alleged that EVMs had been transported in Varanasi without information to local candidates.
However, the Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh said that those EVMs were marked for training.
"It has been brought to notice that some EVMs were being carried in a vehicle in Varanasi which was objected by the political representatives present there. In the investigation, it has been found that these EVMs were marked for training," the CEO said.
Over alleged violation of rules in the transportation of training EVMs, the ECI has asked UP CEO to take action against Varanasi ADM NK Singh.
As per the exit polls predictions, the BJP is returning to power in Uttar Pradesh.
Assembly elections were held in Uttar Pradesh from February 10 to March 7 in seven phases to elect all 403 members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
The votes will be counted on March 10.