LS polls: EC officials review EVM preparedness in Nizamabad constituency

An Election Commission team led by senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha held a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Telangana, Rajat Kumar to review special arrangements made for elections in Nizamabad constituency.

Apart from evaluating the logistic requirements and other Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) protocols, the team witnessed a live demonstration of the working of EVMs using 12 ballot units.

Agreeing to fulfil the additional requirement of officers and budget for smooth conduct of elections in the constituency, Chief Secretary S K Joshi in a meeting said a helicopter will also be at the disposal of Returning Officer (Nizamabad).

Assuring smooth conduct of the exercise, Sinha said, "A total of 185 candidates are in fray for elections in the state. Telangana will create history with EVMs as more than four ballot units will be used in the constituency for the first time in the country."

Sinha's comments come in the wake of the March 29 remarks by CEO Rajat Kumar who had said that with the high number of 185 candidates contesting elections from the same constituency, ballot papers would have to be used.

"Ballot papers have been used in the state in 1996 and 2010 and also in the recent Gram Panchayat elections held in January 2019. We are using M2Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) machines also. These can only take 63 (candidates) in addition to NOTA," he had said.

Elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.