Strongroom sealed after Ottapidaram bypolls

Training for officials in counting to be held on Tuesday

Thoothukudi

The strongroom at the University V.O.C. College of Engineering here was sealed after EVMs and VVPAT machines were brought in after the Ottapidaram bypoll on Monday.

General Observer Suresh Kumar and District Election Officer Sandeep Nanduri inspected the process at the counting centre, in the presence of election agents of candidates.

Addressing reporters, Mr. Nanduri said that the EVMs and VVPATs from 257 polling booths in Ottapidaram bypoll were kept in the strong room. Verification of the 17A register, which has to be conducted a day after the polls as per EC guidelines, was done in the presence of General Observers, election agents and micro-observers.

He said that the strongroom has been sealed using a double lock system. In addition, three-tier security is being provided round the clock by 260 Armed Reserve personnel and 30 CRPF personnel, and 30 CCTV cameras are monitoring the premises.

Training for officials and micro-observers involved in counting is to be provided on Tuesday. The counting of votes would start at 8 a.m. on May 23 starting with postal ballots and followed by votes cast on the electronic voting machines.

“The counting of votes is expected to go on for about 19 to 21 rounds,” he said. As per the norms of the Election Commission, five VVPATs would be chosen at random for counting. If there is a problem in any of the EVMs, they would be kept aside and counting would take place using the corresponding VVPAT slips, he added.

Superintendent of Police Murali Rambha, District Revenue Officer M. Veerappan, Sub-Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon and Returning Officer G. Suhumar were present.