Rohit Kumar
Port Blair, 08 April 2024
In preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections on April 19, 2024, the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. B S Jaglan, IAS, accompanied by Returning Officer, ANIPC, Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, conducted a thorough review of ongoing work of commissioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) devices at a warehouse near ITF Ground on April 7, 2024.
The purpose of the visit was to oversee the ongoing commissioning process of EVMs and VVPATs slated for use during the polling day. The commissioning of these crucial EVMs and VVPATs have been successfully completed, with mock polls being conducted on randomly selected EVMs within the Central Warehouse premises, closely monitored by representatives of contesting candidates. The entire process is being recorded on video for transparency and accountability.
Following the mock poll, the EVMs and VVPATs were securely stored in the Strong Room, signalling their readiness to be used for the upcoming election. According to the movement plan devised by the Election Commission of India, these voting machines will be dispatched to all 412 Polling Stations across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Parliamentary Constituency. The dispatch process will be carried out with meticulous security measures and under the vigilant supervision of election officials. Contesting candidates will also be kept informed about the movement of EVMs, VVPATs, and other election materials.
To ensure the smooth commissioning of EVMs and VVPATs, the Election Commission of India deployed engineers from ECIL for assistance.
Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. B S Jaglan, IAS, expressed his appreciation for the meticulous arrangements made at the warehouse in accordance with the instructions laid out by the ECI. He commended the efforts of the Returning Officer, ANIPC, the Nodal Officer for EVMs & VVPATs, and their respective teams for their dedication and efficiency in executing their responsibilities.