800 more warehouses required to store EVMs for simultaneous polls: EC

The Election Commission (EC) has projected a requirement of 800 additional warehouses across the country to store EVMs and other equipment in case simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies are held.

The poll body has described the construction of warehouses as a "laborious process" entailing cost. The cost of the land and construction is borne by the respective state governments.

The EC had shared its views on various aspects of holding simultaneous elections with the Law Commission and the Department of Legal Affairs in the Union law ministry in March 2023.

Its views on the issue now form part of the documents shared with the members of the joint committee of Parliament examining the two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous polls in the country.

"In case of simultaneous elections, for safe and secure storage of EVMs/VVPATs, there will be a requirement of about 800 additional warehouses...," the EC has said.

It has noted that enforcing safety and security features in all the warehouses -- deployment of security personnel, monthly and quarterly inspections, systems like fire alarms, CCTV cameras -- will need an additional financial outlay "and is fraught with administrative difficulties also".

The poll panel has, however, also noted that subject to adequate lead time being provided to it and prioritisation of these requirements by the respective state governments, "this challenge can be dealt with".

There are around 772 districts in the country.

In July 2012, the EC had initiated the construction of "dedicated warehouses" in each district for the storage of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper audit trail machines (VVPATs).

"It was identified that 326 districts require construction of new warehouses. As on date -- March 2023 -- the construction of 194 warehouses has been completed, 106 warehouses are under construction, for 13 warehouses, land has been identified and sanctioned but they are not grounded and for 13 warehouses, land has not been allotted so far," it had told the law panel.