Now a special strongroom for 388 unused Kendrapara EVMs

Reported by Vishwanath Kumar
Kendrapara, Apr 19:

A day after the detection of EVM hoarding in front of the residence of a government official, the district election office (DEO) in Odisha’s Kendrapara district today stored 388 unused Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in a specially created strongroom in the district headquarters township with armed security.

The suspected EVM tampering had triggered violent protests here on Friday.

An angry mob that included common people had beaten up a Block Development Officer Sushant Kumar Pati, suspecting that the EVMs were hoarded near his official residence with the intent of tampering.

Kendrapara Collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said “388 reserve EVMs which were not used for voting were brought from all the block headquarters and stored in a new strongroom in presence of representatives of all political parties. A tight security ring has been provided at the place. 28 unused EVMs that were found loaded in a vehicle parked at the BDO’s official residence had been handed over to the police and a case has been registered”.

Meanwhile the district election office has recommended initiation of disciplinary action against the erring BDO to the Election Commission of India.

“An official letter in this regard has been sent to the Commission through the chief electoral officer”, Collector Jawale said, adding, that the official perpetrated an impropriety in diverting the EVMs to his residence instead of sending it to the strong room.