Ensure proper security at strongrooms: EC to officials

Amaravati: The Election Commission has instructed District Collectors and Superintendents of Police to ensure proper security at the strong rooms, where the polled EVMs and VVPATs are kept for counting of votes.

Chief Electoral Officer of State Gopala Krishna Dwivedi instructed that the strong rooms should have double lock system. One key should be kept with District Election Officer and the other with Returning Officer of concerned Assembly constituency.

Two tier security arrangements should be made round the clock for the strong rooms having polled EVMs. The CRPF should man the inner security circle immediately outside the strong room and the State Armed Police should guard outer security circle. Minimum security requirement for strong room must be one platoon. A logbook has to be maintained during the entire period, the EC says.

All contesting candidates must be intimated in writing to depute their representatives to keep a close watch on security arrangement of strong room. They should be allowed to stay outside the inner perimeter at a location, which enables them to view the entry points of the strong room. CCTVs must be arranged at the places where there is no direct view to the entry point of the strong room.

A control room adjacent to the strong room should be operative round the clock. A Gazetted officer along with a senior police officer should be put on duty round the clock for monitoring the security arrangements. Returning officers were instructed to visit storage campus (up to inner perimeter only) every day. No vehicle will be allowed inside secured campus.

On the day of counting, the strong room shall be opened in the presence of candidates, their representatives, Returning officer and Observer under videography only. After completion of counting of votes, control units shall be sealed as per instructions. EVMs (Balloting units and control units) and VVPATs shall be shifted back to strong room for safe storage.