Shocking incidents came to light on Friday, April 26, during the second phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election. A youth in Maharashtra's Nanded district smashed down the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) with an axe at the local polling booth.
According to reports, he came to vote and damaged the EVM with an axe. The police present at the polling station immediately detained the young man. However, it is still unknown why he vandalized the EVM. Further investigation is underway. The incident was reported from Nanded's Ramtirth village of Biloli taluka.
During the second phase of Lok Sabha polls 2024, polling is being held in the state's eight Lok Sabha constituencies, including Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, Buldhana, and Parbhani.
Nanded is the home constituency of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Ashok Chavan. Earlier in the day, Chavan cast his vote at a polling booth in Nanded.
"My appeal to the people is to go and vote in large numbers. Contribute to the democratic process and vote because your vote is important in bringing a strong government," Chavan stated, urging widespread engagement in the electoral process. Earlier, in February, after quitting the Congress party, the former Maharashtra CM joined the BJP, after "observing the mood of the nation."
The second phase of polls across the country has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, six in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one each in Tripura, Manipur, and Jammu and Kashmir.