Representatives of candidates can be deputed outside EVM strong rooms: ECI

The EC on Friday said that representatives of candidates who contested the Kerala Assembly polls can be deputed outside the security perimeter of strong rooms where EVMs are stored.

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar issued a press note stating that, after the completion of polling, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units used in the election were stored in their respective strong rooms in the presence of contesting candidates or their representatives.

The polling machines were stored under the supervision of central observers appointed by the EC. The process was videographed, and a two-tier armed security arrangement, along with CCTV cameras, has been set up around the strong rooms, the press note said.

“All contesting candidates have been informed in writing to depute their representatives to monitor the security arrangements of the strong rooms and to allow them to stay outside the inner security perimeter. CCTV footage of the strong rooms has been made available for them,” it said.

The press note comes in the wake of the Congress reportedly asking the EC to permit its workers to be deputed outside strong rooms for security purposes and to prevent any sabotage of the election process.

The Kerala CEO’s press note further States that the strong rooms will be opened on counting day in the presence of contesting candidates or their representatives and central observers appointed by the EC, under videography.

The Kerala Assembly polls were held on Thursday, with results for all 140 constituencies to be declared on May 4.