EVMs, VVPATs being kept under 3-tier security in Haryana

Haryana Police has made full proof three-tier security arrangement for the safety of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Law and Order), Navdeep Singh Virk on Tuesday.

"Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the safe custody of the EVMs and VVPAT machines at designated strong rooms where personnel of state police and paramilitary forces are guarding the rooms under round the clock vigil. We are strictly going by the Election Commission instructions regarding the safety of EVMs and VVPAT machines till the day of counting," Virk told reporters here.

Giving details about the security measures, Virk said that in the first layer, personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are deployed near the strong rooms, the Haryana Armed Police personnel are posted in the second layer while the district police personnel are manning the outer layer of security.

"90 strong rooms have been established at 59 different locations with a round-the-clock vigil to ensure the safety of EVMs and VVPAT machines," Virk said.

The ADGP added that Haryana Police had throughout the election season kept the information flowing about security arrangements, police deployment and seizures to reassure the citizens of its presence and create fear in the minds of those planning any disruption.

Elections for the 90 seats of the Haryana assembly were held on October 21. The counting of votes is scheduled to begin on October 24.