LUCKNOW: Even as the polling for the high-stakes by-elections to Kairana and Noorpur assembly constituencies is underway, the opposition has raised concerns about the reported malfunctioning of voting machines in some areas.

"Upchunav mein jagah jagah se EVM kharab hone ki khabrein aa rahi hain, lekin phir bhi apne matadhikar ke liye zaroor jayen aur apna kartavya nibhayan (There were news about EVMs malfunctioning in various areas, but still make sure you come forward to exercise your voting rights)." Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said on Twitter, addressing voters.

It loosely translates to "getting reports of problems in EVMs in the by-election, but still voters should go out and vote".

SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said 140 EVMs were tampered with in Noorpur and that similar reports have come in from Kairana.

"BJP wants to avenge their defeat in the earlier bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur anyhow and win the ongoing polls," he said.