UP election result LIVE: Yogi thanks people as BJP leads in 273 seats

UP election result 2022 LIVE updates: Yogi Adityanath is set for a second term as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh with BJP leading in 273 seats. Stay tuned for LIVE updates on UP election result

8:08 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: Initial trends to emerge shortly

UP election result 2022 LIVE: Initial trends to emerge shortly

8:07 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: The questions raised on an EVMs in Varanasi was meant for training purpose

The questions raised on an EVMs in Varanasi was meant for training purpose. The ADM's mistake was that he did not inform political parties about the movement of EVMs for training purposes as per standard operating procedure: Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner

 

8:00 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: Counting of votes begins

UP election result 2022 LIVE: Counting of votes begins

7:34 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE updates: Counting of votes to begin shortly

UP election result 2022 LIVE updates: Counting of votes to begin shortly

6:36 AM

UP Election result 2022 LIVE: Varanasi officer suspended over complains of EVM theft

A senior administration official of Varanasi will be suspended in connection with the row over voting machines that erupted in Uttar Pradesh yesterday, two days ahead of counting. The Election Commission of India has ordered action against Varanasi Additional District Magistrate NK Singh over the violation of rules in transportation of training EVMs. The city police commissioner admitted to lapses yesterday.
 

In a statement today, Singh's boss -- District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma -- said the EVMs were supposed to be moved this morning, but the official who is now suspended, had taken them out the night before without informing anyone.

 

The opposition Samajwadi Party had accused the government of "stealing the election" yesterday after a truck carrying voting machines was intercepted by party workers in Varanasi.

6:29 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleges massive 'EVM fraud, vote theft'

Less than two days before the results are scheduled to be announced for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday alleged massive "EVM fraud" and"vote theft".

The SP chief claimed that Election Commission officials were tampering with EVMs and that he no longer trusts the EC. "I have no hope from the Election Commission. People themselves, in some way, have to fight to save democracy," he said during an emergency press conference in Lucknow.

The senior leader further alleged that EVMs were being transported without informing the candidates. "We need to be alerted if EVMs are being transported this way. Varanasi DM is transporting EVMs without giving any information to local candidates. This is theft. We need to save our votes. We may go to court against it but before that, I want to appeal to the people to save the democracy," Yadav said.

6:25 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: How does the EVM function?

It is not possible to vote more than once by pressing the button again and again. As soon as a particular button on the balloting unit is pressed, the vote is recorded for that particular candidate and the machine gets locked. Even if one presses that button further or any other button, no further vote will be recorded. This way the EVMs ensure the principle of "one person, one vote".

 

The control unit is kept with the presiding officer or a polling officer and the balloting unit is placed inside the voting compartment. The balloting unit presents the voter with blue buttons (momentary switch) horizontally labelled with corresponding party symbol and candidate names. The Control Unit, on the other hand, provides the officer-in-charge with a "ballot" marked button to proceed to the next voter, instead of issuing a ballot paper to them. This activates the ballot unit for a single vote from the next voter in the queue. The voter has to cast his vote by once pressing the blue button on the balloting unit against the candidate and symbol of his choice.

 

As soon as the last voter has voted, the polling officer-in-charge of the control unit presses the 'close' button. Thereafter, the EVM will not accept any votes. Further, after the close of the poll, the balloting unit is disconnected from the control unit and kept separately. Votes can be recorded only through the balloting unit.

 

During the counting of votes, the results are displayed by pressing the 'result' button. There are two safeguards to prevent the 'result' button from being pressed before the counting of votes officially begins. (a) This button cannot be pressed till the 'close' button is pressed by the polling officer-in-charge at the end of the voting process in the polling booth. (b) This button is hidden and sealed; this can be broken only at the counting centre in the presence of the designated officers.

6:06 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: How were EVMs introduced in Indian elections?

EVMs were commissioned in 1989 by Election Commission of India in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). The industrial designers of the EVMs were faculty members at the Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay.

 

EVMs were first used in 1982 in the by-election to North Paravur Assembly Constituency in Kerala for a limited number of polling stations. Thereafter, they were first used on an experimental basis in selected constituencies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

 

Later, EVMs were used first time in the general election (entire state) to the assembly of Goa in 1999. And in 2003, all by-elections and state elections were held using EVMs, encouraged by this, the ECI decided to use only EVMs for Lok Sabha election in 2004.

6:02 AM

UP election result 2022 LIVE: No question of tampering with EVMs, says CEC Sushil Chandra

Responding to the allegation levelled by Samajwadi Party on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), said that there is no question of EVM tampering as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has always maintained transparency.

 

Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh has suspended ADM Varanasi because he has not followed the procedures to inform political parties about the movement of EVM for training purposes, said Chandra.