The Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to either provide new Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or allow them to conduct the municipal polls using ballot paper.
"Upcoming municipal polls cannot be held on EVMs from 2006 batch due to technical faults," the State Election Commission's letter read.
The local body elections will be held in July in Uttar Pradesh.
In the last municipal elections in 2011, EVMs were used.
The State Election Commission's demand indicates that the existing EVMs have become outdated.
The red-flagging by the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission assumes significance in the wake of ongoing political controversy of the authenticity of polls conducted using EVMs.