The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered re-polling on Friday in four polling booths in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul Lok Sabha constituency following a bus fire incident that damaged several electronic voting machines (EVMs). The affected booths are in the Multai assembly segment, including Chikhlimal, Dudar Raiyat, Kunda Raiyat, and Rajapur.
The ECI’s directive for re-polling came after the district administration reported the bus fire incident that occurred on Tuesday night. The bus, carrying polling staff and EVMs, caught fire in the Goula village in Betul district, resulting in damage to some voting machines. While four EVMs suffered damage, two remained undamaged, allowing the re-polling to proceed with new machines.
Narendra Suryavanshi, the Collector of Betul, indicated that preparations for the re-polling are being made swiftly. He also mentioned that liquor shops within a 3-kilometer radius of the polling stations would be closed to ensure a smooth and orderly voting process.
The incident took place as the polling staff was returning from election duty after voting was conducted for the third phase of the ongoing seven-phase general election. The personnel managed to escape the burning bus by breaking the windows when the doors jammed due to the fire. Another bus was arranged to transport them back safely.
Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha seats, with voting in eight constituencies during the third phase. These include Betul, Bhind, Bhopal, Gwalior, Guna, Morena, Rajgarh, and Vidisha. According to the ECI’s data, the overall voter turnout in this phase was approximately 66.05%.
The re-polling in Betul is crucial to ensure that the voters in these affected booths have the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights without hindrance. The ECI’s prompt response and the district administration’s efforts to secure the voting process demonstrate the commitment to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the electoral system.
