Three-tier security arrangements for EVM strongrooms

AMRITSAR: High security arrangements have been made around the strong rooms and counting centres where electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines, sealed with the fate of over two dozen contestants for the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, have been kept.

A CRPF man guards a sealed room in Khalsa College Senior Secondary School where EVMs have been kept. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 20

High security arrangements have been made around the strong rooms and counting centres where electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines, sealed with the fate of over two dozen contestants for the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, have been kept.

A three-tier security system has been made under which paramilitary forces and police personnel have kept an eagle eye round the clock.

Besides, CCTV cameras have also been installed inside and outside such centres in order to check the movements of suspicious elements.

“Paramilitary jawans guard the strong rooms and counting centres. Another circle of armed police force has been deputed which is followed by the local police force,” said Bhupinder Singh, DCP (Law and order).

Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Shivdullar Singh Dhillon said that the contestants could deploy their agents for security while assistant returning officers (AROs) were also deputed for keeping an eye round the clock. Whenever AROs check the locks, they will have to make an entry in the register in this connection.

There are nine strong rooms established at different locations of the city where counting will be held on May 23. Senior police officials visited these centres and supervised the security arrangements on Monday.

The EVMs for Ajnala, Majitha and Amritsar North Assembly constituencies have been kept at three strong rooms located in Mai Bhago Polytechnic College for Girls at Majitha Road while EVMs of Rajasansi and Amritsar West have been kept at Khalsa College of Law and Khalsa College Auditorium, respectively. Similarly, EVMs for the Amritsar Central constituency have been stored in the strong room of Government Industrial Training Institute, Ranjit Avenue, and that for the Amritsar East constituency is kept at Khalsa College of Women. The EVMs for Amritsar South and Attari constituencies have been kept at Khalsa College of Pharmacy and Khalsa College Senior Secondary School, respectively.