Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju has made an appeal to all the political parties of the State to take part in first level checking of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) being conducted at all district headquarters.
Dr Raju, addressing representatives of Congress, SAD, BSP, Marxist Party and NCP, gave detailed information about EVMs and how it functions. He explained about the commencement of usage of EVMs in Indian electoral process including details about its design, methodology, security, transportation and storage of machine and also about the process of feeding names of candidates and the counting of the votes polled.
He said that presently, the 2013 model M-3 EVMs is being used in the State. The First level Checking of the EVMs is being organized at district level by the District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner, during which the old data on the machines will be deleted and the machines will be prepared for the ensuing Parliament elections.
Dr Raju asked the representatives of all the parties to nominate their office bearers to attend FlC at all district headquarters.
Spokesperson said that the BJP could not send its representative for the meeting but Punjab CEO appealed to the party to send their representative for first level checking (FlC) in the districts as per schedule.
In the two-hour long session held with all representatives of political parties, CEO explained about EVM, VVPAT and each and every step of first level checking, the exercise is being done in view of the coming Parliament elections.
During first level checking, if any machine found not up to the mark, it will be immediately separated and will be sent to the manufacturing public sector undertaking for further investigations.