AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal alleged an EVM malfunction at a polling station in Assam’s Samaguri during the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election on Tuesday, claiming the machine took around 10 minutes to register a vote on the AIUDF button before it was replaced.
Ajmal said the issue occurred at polling station No. 185 (2) Bhatiakali, where he alleged that the other buttons were responding normally but the one associated with AIUDF was delayed. He said the matter was reported to the Nagaon district administration, after which the EVM was replaced.
Polling across the constituency recorded a turnout of 37.82 per cent by 11 am. Laharighat registered the highest turnout among the eight Assembly segments at 42.49 per cent, followed by Samaguri at 40.39 per cent and Rupohihat at 39.62 per cent.
Dhing recorded 38.48 per cent polling, while Morigaon registered 37.25 per cent and Jagiroad 37.06 per cent. Raha recorded 34.35 per cent turnout and Nagaon-Batadroba 30.54 per cent.
Ajmal also expressed confidence about his electoral prospects, saying he was “100 per cent” certain of winning the bypoll.
The by-election was necessitated by the vacancy in the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat and is being contested in a multi-cornered electoral battle in Assam.
