‘CCTVs Failed Thrice’: Congress’s Harish Rawat Raises Question on EVM Security Hours before Counting

On the eve of counting of votes for the Uttarakhand assembly elections, veteran Congress leader Harish Rawat raised suspicion on the government’s machinery and questioned why the CCTV cameras of the room where EVMs are kept in Haridwar witnessed a failure.

Rawat asked if the Election Commission will take into account the fact that CCTV cameras at the Haridwar district strong room – where EVMs are kept – witnessed failure on at least three occasions.

“It cannot be a mere coincidence that CCTV cameras failed thrice. The government’s credibility is already at stake. They are trying to win an election by using nefarious means,” Rawat said on Wednesday evening.

Rawat, the head of Congress Campaign Committee and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, is contesting from Lalkuan in the Nainital district. His daughter Anupama Rawat is contesting from the Haridwar rural seat. Rawat had also repeatedly questioned the sluggish pace of the return of ballot votes, considered crucial in the state polls.

Meanwhile, sensing the possibility of a hung assembly, the Congress has deployed a battery of leaders from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Haryana. For the first time in state polls, the party has assigned tasks to observers from other states at every counting centre in Uttarakhand.

Rajya Sabha MP Deependra Hooda, in his role as observer, met party workers in Haridwar and gave them tips. Congress leader Jeetu Patwari from Madhya Pradesh is also meeting party workers.

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