New Delhi: A total of 1,377 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had been reported defective and had to be replaced on poll day during the recent Assembly Elections in five states, the government said on Monday.
"The Election Commission has intimated that some EVMs were reported defective on poll day (in five states)," Law Minister Salman Khurshid told Rajya Sabha in reply to a query. However, the malfunctioning EVMs were replaced with reserved ones in a short time on the same day, he said.
Giving details, Khurshid said 21 EVMs were found defective in Goa, 49 cases of malfunctioning EVMs were reported from Punjab, 60 EVMs had to be replaced on the polling day in Manipur, 120 EVMs were found not working in Uttarakhand and in Uttar Pradesh, the total number of cases of malfunctioning of EVMs reported was 1,127.
Percentage of malfunction EVMs was 0.81 per cent, he said.
In reply to another question, Khurshid said the Election Commission had from time to time made recommendations for electoral reforms and the government has also constituted a core committee to carry out comprehensive electoral reforms.
However, no time frame regarding when the reforms would be carried out could be given since "the matter involves deep study and careful consideration in consultations with the political parties before a decision could be arrived at", the minister said.
PTI
