AGARTALA, Dec 9 (TIWN): A malfunctioning electronic voting machine (EVM) reportedly disrupted the voting spirit for many hours at different spots. Although the polling began usually at 7 in the morning but the voting spirit was disrupted with the malfunctioning of the EVM machine at two spots mainly at Ramnagar and Bordowali.

It is to be mentioned here that the poll was disrupted for more than hour at booth number 3 of ward no 33 at Ramnagar itkhala area at 1.40 PM, however, the polling process was again resumed from 3.15 PM. EVM malfunctioning was also seen at the poling booth of Bordowali school.

The incident came to light when voters in booth number 3 of ward 33 of ramnagar itkhala area complained that when they pressed their chosen candidate's button there vote was not accepted by the machine and no indicator blinked against the party name.

Voters waited for more than hours in the long queue till the election officials ordered a replacement of EVM and resumed voting around 3.15 p.m.

A similar incident happened at a polling booth at Bordowali School when voters found that whichever button was pressed on the EVM, no indicator light blinked.

Alert voters brought this to the notice of the election officials, who immediately stopped voting.

Voting resumed after a delay of nearly an hour after a new EVM was acquired.

Voters expressed frustration as polling disrupted due to EVM malfunction. However, after an hour the polling resumed with the repairing of the EVM machine.

EVM are used to conduct the elections in the municipal bodies while old Bungo and Godrej type ballot boxes is used for the by-polls to the gram panchayats and panchayat samities.