EVMs under tight vigil in strongrooms

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 20

After polling for the Lok Sabha elections ended yesterday, EVMs and VVPAT machines were safely lodged in strong rooms and counting centres late last night. These will be kept under strict vigil of the police and paramilitary forces and CCTV cameras till May 23.

A 24-hour electronic and manual surveillance of the strong rooms and counting centres has been put in place.

Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said foolproof security arrangements had been made by the district administration at these centres with a security cover of the Punjab Police, the Punjab Armed Police and the paramilitary forces round the clock.

They said the entire complex would be under e-surveillance for which adequate numbers of CCTV cameras had already been installed.

The strong room and the counting centre for Jalandhar North has been set up at Government Sports School and for Jalandhar West at Government Sports College. The strong rooms for the Jalandhar Cantonment, Jalandhar Central, Adampur, Shahkot and Kartarpur Assembly constituencies would be constituted at the office of the Director, Land Records, whereas that of the Phillaur and Nakodar Assembly segments, it would be made at State Patwar School.

The officials said adequate arrangements would be made for the entry of counting staff, counting agents, mediapersons, representatives of political parties and others for May 23.