Hoshiarpur: Randomisation of EVMs carried out

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, January 18

The first round of randomisation of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verified paper audit trails (VVPATs) was carried out under the supervision of District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait and representatives of several political parties.

The district electoral officer said at present there are 2,366 ballot units (EVMs), 1,954 control units and 2,080 VVPAT machines in the district. She said as per the percentage fixed by the Election Commission, 1,878 ballot units, 1,878 control units and 2,036 VVPATMs have been randomised. Also, the CDs of expedition monitoring compendium were handed over to the representatives of political parties.

Riyait said polling booths have been set up in all Assembly constituencies of the district on which EVMs as well as VVPAT machines would be installed. EVMs and VVPAT machines equal to the number of polling booths were randomised today, besides additional 20 percent CU, 20 percent BU, 20 percent VVPAT have been kept on reserve that can be used in case any machine malfunctions. She said that after today’s randomisation, the EVMs and VVPATs would be shifted by Returning Officers to the strong rooms in their respective constituencies.

Meeting on poll preparations

Phagwara: Three companies of the Central Reserve Police Force would assist the local police to maintain peace and law and order, said Kulpreet Singh, SDM-cum-returning officer, Phagwara, in a review meeting to check the poll preparations in the Assembly constituency. He said one CRPF company had arrived in Phagwara while two more units would soon arrive. SP, Phagwara, Harinderpal Singh Parmar, DSP Achhru Ram Sharma, Tehsildar Navdeep Singh Bhogal ,Commandant CRPF, Master Trainer Paramjeet Singh Mahey. SHO (Sadar) Jatinder Kumar, SHO (City) Joginder Singh, SHO (Satnampura) Harjeet Singh, SHO (Rawalpindi) Amanpreet Kaur, Assistant Commissioner of Municipal Corporation, Phagwara, Sandeep Tiwari and Block Development and Panchayat officer Rampal Singh were present in the meeting. The SDM said 21 buses, 14 mini buses and 40 small buses have been arranged for voters. He said 1,101 boys and 797 girls in the 18 to 19 age group will cast their votes for the first time. He said special arrangements would be made for senior citizens and disabled voters.