Rejecting the complaint of Congress party regarding the conduct of survey or polls through EVMs used for creating public awareness, State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Subrat Sahoo on Tuesday said that it is impossible to conduct any survey or polls through model EVM and VVPAT machine especially used for creating public awareness.
“It is only for electors. Dummy name of candidates and symbols are used instead of actual name or symbol of any political party. It is just a rumour that survey or polls are being conducted”, he said.
Sahoo stated that the EVMs and VVPAT used for training and polling are of separate series of machines. In polling, in the machines during the First Level Checking (FLC), there is presence of candidates and representatives of political parties to ensure transparency in process. It is then used for election.
Taking cognizance of the complaints received, Sahoo had sought probe report from Surguja and Koriya District Collectors cum District Electoral Officers.
Sahoo added any trainer using the EVM-VVPAT machines are submitting it in Tehsil office store room or treasury and is not taking them home. No seizure of EVM-VVPAT machines has been made by police.
Mentioning the complaint received, Sahoo said incident is of around a week back. The complaint was received a week after. The probe will clear all doubts, he said.
He said with total transparency and impartiality, in each district of Chhattisgarh for conduct of polls, the electoral awareness programme is being run successfully. These machines during FLC are separated so that it cannot be used for polling nor get mixed with machines specified for polling.
Sahoo pointed out that in case of any emergency, if there is requirement of a machine, then once again FLC and candidate setting is done in the EVM before the representatives of political parties after which the complete process is done. Thus, total transparency is maintained.
The number of machines being used for exhibition is 1,348. Presently there are 23,632 polling centres out of which at 12,300 polling centres, the exhibition has been done. Around 15 lakh people in village and town areas have seen it, he said.
The CEO further pointed out that all the directives of Election Commission of India are being followed and all machines are kept in safe places. If there is violation of the directives, then stern action would be taken against officers and employees.
He directed all the collectors cum district electoral officers to ensure free and fair polls for which the EVM-VVPAT machines are kept safe in specified places. The machines used for exhibition, also after public programmes be kept at a secured place. Now, a Nodal Officer has been deputed in each district to ensure safety of EVM-VVPAT. There is no change in the programmes for public awareness , he added.
