Gujarat Election: What happens to EVMs after voting?

Gujarat Election: What happens to EVMs after voting? | Voting has been done on 89 seats of the first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections. The second phase of voting is still pending, which will be held on December 5. The counting of votes in all 182 seats of Gujarat will be done on December 8. Till then EVMs are kept under strict security. So, while many parties have criticized the failure of EVM transparency after their defeat, know in just 6 steps what process the EVM will go through for a week after you vote and what measures are being taken to protect it.

To seal the EVMs

The presiding officer starts the process of sealing the EVM as soon as the polling time is over at any polling centre. For that, the procedure decided by the Election Commission is specially followed. The Presiding Officer of all the booths as well as other election officers seal the EVMs in the presence of the candidate of that constituency or the polling agent appointed by them. At this time his signature is also specially taken.

Taking the EVM to the strong room

After sealing the EVM, it is taken to the strong room only through a government vehicle or a vehicle designated by the Election Commission. At this time, apart from the election officer, the candidate or his polling agent can also be accompanied.

To seal the strong room

All EVMs are kept in the strong room after the reserved EVMs reach the strong room apart from the EVMs that have voted. After that, the strong room is sealed as per the Election Commission's directives. The Election Commission also gives the candidate an opportunity to seal the strong room on his own if he has doubts about the seal.

Strong room security

Some protocols are also followed for the security of the strong room, such as the security of the strong room is in three layers. The innermost layer is manned by Central paramilitary forces, the second layer consists of central security personnel and the outermost layer is the state police. The inside and outside of the strong room is constantly monitored by CCTV cameras. A leader contesting an election can also oversee the strong room.

 

Process of opening strong room

Once a strong room is sealed, it cannot be opened by anyone, not even an official. There is a CCTV camera at the entry point of the strong room, due to which the picture of every visitor is recorded on it. If any concerned official wants to visit the strong room, first of all he has to write the time, duration and name details of the visit in the log book provided to the security forces. In any situation, if there is a need to open the strong room, it can be opened only in the presence of the candidates.

Security till counting

If there is a long distance between the counting center and the strong room, there should be barricading between the two. On the day of counting, the EVMs will be taken from between the barricades to the counting place. Then only after verifying the seal the EVM is opened and the votes are counted.

Important information about EVM data

An EVM can remain operational for 15 years. Data from EVMs is removed only when polling is to be held at a new location, but the data of the polling done in it is kept by the Election Commission forever.