The candidates in five assembly segments and Amritsar parliamentary constituency would face another electoral test on Thursday.
As per the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI), repolling would be held at a total of 48 polling stations across state, including 16 in the Amritsar lok Sabha seat, where bye-election was held on February 4, the same day voting for 117 assembly seats were polled.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh had maintained that the malfunctioning of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was the reason that the ECI ordered re-poll at certain polling booths.
Maximum 12 polling stations, where re-polling would be held, are in Majitha assembly segment, followed by nine in Muktsar constituency, and six in Sangrur assembly constituency.
These three constituencies faced the maximum complaints and problems regarding the malfunctioning of VVPAT enabled EVMs, and most of the polling stations are those where VVPAT developed snag.
Out of total 6,668 VVPATs deployed for polls to 117 assembly constituencies and bye-election to Amritsar lok Sabha seat, 187 were replaced due to technical snag during the polling. The number was much higher at 538 during the mock polling.
Maximum of 25 machines were replaced in Majitha, besides 10 each in Sangrur and Muktsar.
Besides, re-polling would also be conducted at four polling stations in Sardulgarh assembly constituency and one polling station in Moga assembly constituency.
During polling process on Saturday, due to malfunctioning in VVPATs and EVMs in some places, polling process got interrupted. Out of 24,697 ballot units (BUs) and 24,256 control units (CUs) used in Punjab, 180 BUs and 184 CUs failed during the poll — that is 0.73 percent BUs and 0.76 percent CUs failing during the actual poll.
The Commission, for the first time in the country, used VVPAT enabled EVMs for Saturday’s poll in Punjab’s 35 constituencies, including two for Amritsar bye-polls. If successful, the system was to be adopted across the country.
Following the large scale technical glitches, the EC had sought a detailed report from the state election authorities regarding malfunctioning of VVPATs resulting in delayed in polling process.
Holiday declared in 5 districts
Chandigarh: In wake of re-polling schedule to take place in some booths in five districts of the state on Thursday, the Punjab government has declared a holiday in Amritsar, Moga, Muktsar, Mansa and Sangrur districts on February 9. Punjab government spokesperson said that as per the decision, all the offices, boards, corporations, educational institutions and other public undertakings of the state government would remain closed on February 9 in these five districts, where re-poll would take place on February 9, 2017. The holiday is under section 25 of Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881, spokesperson said.