While the first phase polling for the 17th Lok Sabha went peacefully "barring few stray incidents", the Election Commission on Thursday said that they have received 15 cases of damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain said that out of the 15 incidents reported during the first phase that covered 91 Lok Sabha seats across 18 states and two Union Territories, six incidents were from Andhra Pradesh alone. Jana Sena candidate Madhusudan Gupta was arrested for breaking an EVM at Gooty in Anantapur district.
Another five incidents of damaging EVMs were reported from Arunachal Pradesh, two from Manipur, and one each from Bihar and West Bengal, Jain said.
"We have received the complaints and appropriate legal action is being taken against those involved in damaging the EVMs," he added.
--IANS
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