Rupesh Samant
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Apr 25: While Congress party on Wednesday expressed shock over the way Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being moved to the strong room after the election process was over on Tuesday, the officials from Chief Electoral Office has said that all the proper procedures were being followed.

Two Lok Sabha and three State Assembly segments went for election on April 23.

"We are shocked and surprised at the casual and negligent manner in which the election commission has treated the process of moving the EVMs to the strong room specially in North Goa, where some EVMs reached the strong room today evening," Sunil Kawathankar, chief spokesman, Goa Congress has said in a statement released late night.

He said that the EVMs remained at some polling stations overnight and even at the strong room the EVMs were kept casually with no proper security arrangements and sanitation.

"As the security and safety of EVMs are under question mark this attitude shown by the election commission has further raised doubts in the minds of the public, it is very necessary that the EVMs should be stored with proper security for the faith of public in the election mechanism," he said.

"We therefore strongly demand that the Election Commission should take all necessary measured to secure the EVMs with proper safety protocol," he added.

The CEO office in a statement released, however, claimed that all the required formalities were followed.

" After polling completed at the polling stations, EVMs, VVPATs and other polled materials were properly packed and sealed in the covers provided for this purpose," the CEO office has said in a statement released here.

"All these EVMs and other materials were transported from Polling Station to receiving centres at Taluka headquarters with proper police security cover. Movement of EVMs was also tracked through GPS," the statement adds.

"At taluka headquarter these EVMs were kept AC-wise in vehicles and again they were transported to district strong room at Borda with proper police security. Movement of EVMs was also tracked through GPS," the CEO has said.

"From closing of poll till its transportation to Taluka headquarters took 3-4 hours as many polling stations are located in far flung areas. From Taluka headquarter these EVMs were brought to district strong room only after midnight. District strong room has three tier security arrangement including a company of Central Armed Police Force. Strong room has been put on continuous CCTV surveillance," it adds.

"At the strong room these EVMs were again arranged PS-wise and AC-wise before they were stored in racks designed for them as per ECI specifications. EVMs used at all 810 polling stations of South Goa constituency were arranged in the manner as explained above and were stored in strong room. This whole process takes several hours. However, for this a foolproof police security is arranged and the entire process is videographed," the CEO has said.