This story is from May 21, 2019

ECI rejects doubt over changing EVMs from strong room in Saran

Bihar’s additional chief electoral officer (ACEO) Sanjay Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that doubts being raised on Saran administration through a video showing EVMs transportation in an open vehicle were baseless.
ECI rejects doubt over changing EVMs from strong room in Saran
Photo for representative purpose only
PATNA: Bihar’s additional chief electoral officer (ACEO) Sanjay Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that doubts being raised on Saran administration through a video showing EVMs trasnportation in an open vehcile were baseless.
Singh also said that all EVMs used in polling were safe, secure and under stern surveillance.
Singh issued a statement after video of EVM loaded on a pick-up truck was aired by a national news.
Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had also raised question on the issue via his tweet on Monday.
Yadav had tweeted: “Visuals and claims of sudden movement of EVMs observed across the north India! Why is it so? Who is transporting these EVMs & Why? What is purpose and objective of this exercise? In order to avoid any confusion & misconception, Election Commission must issue a statement ASAP.”
Singh, while releasing statement to press, said that the EVMs in Saran which were shown in the video, were meant for training purpose of official for counting.
“The 12 ballot unit, control unit and VVPATs which were in video were those being taken to training centre from a warehouse in Saran. Those were shown to representatives of candidates to satisfy them and clarify situation that all those equipment in the vehicle had nothing to do with those used in polls which were sealed behind strong room,” he said adding the representatives expressed their satisfaction in written as well as orally manner after it.

He said that reserved and unused EVMs are kept in warehouse while those used in polling are kept inside strong rooms under a three-layer security along with surveillance through CCTV cameras.
“While inner security cover is handled by central forces, middle and outer security cover is handled by state police personnel,” he said.
Meanwhile, the two-day’s training of officials for counting votes got accomplished on Tuesday across Bihar.
Singh, while talking to TOI over phone said that counting would begin at 8am across all the centres according to protocols.
“After all the votes get counted, five VVPATS and their simultaneous control units, one by one from each assembly segment from would be chosen randomly for matching of votes counted electronically with the number of printed slip,” he said.
Another senior ECI official said that official declaration of results would take much time in this general election as at least 10,000 booths had increased in state in addition with protocol of matching VVPAT slips.
“For public, trends would start coming by 9am and it would get stabilized by 2pm. We expect that by 11.30pm, at least three round would be done,” he said preferring anonymity.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA