3-tier security at strongrooms

Hyderabad: A three-tier security comprising the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and the State police will be in place at strongrooms to guard the electronic voting machines (EVMs) till May 23 in State, a top state Election Commission official said Saturday.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar said the process of receiving EVMs from all the booths across the State began Friday. Polling to the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies was held in a single phase in the State on April 11.

Kumar, in a statement, said the EVMs would be stored in strongrooms across the state till the scheduled day of counting on May 23. He said the strongrooms containing EVMs would be guarded round-the-clock by a three-tier perimeter.

The first tier, which is the innermost perimeter, would be manned round-the-clock by the CAPF, the second tier by the State armed police force and the third tier, which is the outermost perimeter, would be guarded by the district executive force, Kumar said.

The CEO said the EVMs received would be classified and stored as: 'Category A' -- polled EVMs, EVMs containing votes polled at polling stations at the end of the poll. 'Category B' -- defective polled EVMs, EVMs which become defective after some votes are recorded in them.

'Category C' -- un-polled EVMs, EVMs which become defective before the commencement of voting and are replaced would be kept in a separate room other than the strongroom and returned to the manufacturer with due protocol.

'Category D' -- unused EVMs, EVMs shall be stored in a separate room other than the strongroom. The CEO said the strongrooms would have a double-lock system and control rooms would be set up adjacent to strongrooms which would operate-round-the clock.

A gazetted officer, along with a police officer, would be on duty round-the-clock to monitor security arrangements at each strongroom, he added. District Collectors and Superintendents of Police shall be responsible for the security at strongrooms within the districts and the meticulous implantation of protocol, Kumar said.

He said on the day of counting of votes, strongrooms shall be opened in the presence of the contesting candidates or their representatives, returning officers and observers under videography.

The Electronic Management Software will be used to monitor and record the transport of EVMs and VVPATs, the CEO added.