EVMs randomisation done in Belagavi

Election officers held a meeting for randomisation and distribution of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to various Assembly constituencies in Belagavi on Wednesday.

Election officers held a meeting for randomisation and distribution of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to various Assembly constituencies in Belagavi on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Nitesh Patil spoke to officers on polling duty at the Hindalga warehouse and asked them about the standard operating procedures for use of EVMs.

The process of randomisation works in a double blind manner which ensures that no body knows which EVM machine is going to which constituency. There will be three rounds of randomisation before polling begins.

He said that EVM units are being dispatched to the strongrooms in the 18 Assembly seats in the district. He said that they are dispatched to polling stations with tight security measures in place. The dispatch was done after the first randomisation, in accordance with Election Commission of India guidelines.

He also asked the officers to enforce the model code of conduct and other Election Commission of India rules strictly.

The district will use a total of 5,321 ballot units and 5,321 control units and 5,765 VVPAT machines. They will be sent to the polling stations after affixing stickers with the number and names of the respective polling station and securing them in trunks and sealing them.

The EVMs will be transported in GPS-equipped container vehicles with tight police security and representatives of political parties will observe the process.