EC checks security of EVMs in Punjab

A team of the Election Commission arrived in Punjab on Thursday to inspect the security of buildings where electronic voting machines (EVMs) of the Punjab assembly elections have been kept.

The EC team visited the strongroom at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus in Ludhiana to take stock of the security arrangements there.

District officials said the EC team was "fully satisfied" with the security around the strongroom.

"The EC team inspected the strongroom and saw the security arrangements, CCTVs and log books. We have a three-tier security arrangement around the strongroom," Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat told media.

He said candidates of various parties were present during the EC team visit.

The inner-most security cordon of the EVM strongrooms was under central forces while the outer ring was with the Punjab Police, an official said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had earlier complained to the EC saying the security around the strongrooms was lax and local officials were allowing unauthorised people to enter the strong rooms.

Two incidents, one where people were seen entering the strongroom in Ludhiana and another of EVM boxes being moved in Patiala, were pointed out to the EC in the AAP complaints.

The Congress and the BJP leaders in Punjab have blamed the AAP leadership for creating panic over the issue.

The fate of 1,145 candidates was sealed on February 4 in the voting for 117 assembly seats held in Punjab.

--IANS

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