JOIN USOver the past 29 days, the Election Commission has utilised various means to ensure the safety of the EVMs.
From CCTV cameras and highly trained CRPF personnel to guard the strongrooms, the EC even allowed political parties to put up tents outside the counting centres to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the security of the machines. Here are the details:n Once votes were registered on the EVMs on April 17, they were locked with a button on the machine. They will be opened on May 16.
n Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were locked and sealed in a metal trunk in front of the EC observers and political party observers.
n All EVMs were transported on the same day to the strongrooms.
n The strongrooms were sealed, with there being no windows or ventilation. The CCTV cameras at the door were giving live feed to the District Election Officer.n A three-layered security was provided with the strongrooms guarded by CRPF, the counting centre secured by the CAR and the local police in the vicinity. n No one was allowed inside the strongrooms without permission from the EC. n When repoll was conducted, the seals of EVMs from 12 polling stations in Karnataka were removed in front of the EC observers and political party representatives. They were later resealed, after the repolling, in front of the observers and representatives of parties.
n Political parties were given an opportunity to put up tents on the campus to satisfy themselves of the EVMs not being tampered with.
n At a few places, for instance in Hassan constituency, parties like the JD(S) utilised the opportunity to keep a watch on the strongroom.