The electronic voting machines (EVMs) in which is the fate of candidates contesting the General Elections is sealed, have reached strong rooms located at different places in the district after the polling was completed on Wednesday.
On Thursday, District Election Officer and Collector S. Solomon Arokia Raj, along with Election Observers, scrutinised the dairies of Presiding Officers of polling stations in the presence of contesting candidates and representatives of political parties.
The observers thoroughly examined the Form 17A and Form 17C submitted by the Returning Officers.
When the candidates and representatives of political parties pointed out some deficiencies, gave suggestions, the Observers assured them that they would be taken to the notice of the Election Commission.
After the EVMs from Assembly segments of Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituency were brought to the strong rooms at the Andhra University College of Engineering the previous night Joint Collector and Returning Officer of the constituency Pravin Kumar and Observer Anil Kumar examined them all and got the rooms sealed.
Strong rooms of all Assembly segments are being guarded by the Central Armed Police Forces and the local police. CCTV cameras were also arranged as part of security. Commissioner of Police K. Shivadhar Reddy also visited the building in which the strong rooms were located and verified the security arrangements. The EVMs would be taken out of the strong rooms for counting of votes on May 16. The strong rooms were located at AU College of Engineering (Bheemili, Visakha East, North, Chodavaram, Madugula, Anakapalle, Pendurthi, Elamanchili and Narsipatnam segments), Visakha Women’s Govt. Degree College (Visakha South), Sophia Junior College, Gnanapuram (Visakha West), BHPV Aided Telugu Medium School (Gajuwaka), Swarna Bharati indoor stadium (Payakaraopeta) and GVP College of Engineering, Rushikonda (Araku Valley and Paderu).