The laptop of a Sub-Inspector Vikram Kumar Nehra deputed for security at the Strong Room in the premises of Agriculture Produce Marketing Yard here has been seized, officials informed.

The concerned police officer has been withdrawn from security duty, said Bemetara District Collector Mahadeo Kawre while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.

EVMs have been deposited in the Strong Room and hacking is impossible. After polling process is completed, the EVM machine is switched off to shut it down by the Presiding Officer. The machine is switched on just before the counting. The machine is not linked with any internet connection, so for anybody hacking is impossible, he said.

Kawre said that EVMs have been kept on round-the-clock vigil by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.

The Collector said that in Navagarh Assembly constituency 22 rounds of counting will be held, while Bemetara (20 rounds) and Saja (21 rounds).

The candidates after declaration of result have to submit their election expenses within 30 days, Kawre said.

“During the election process, through Cvigil and NGS portal, 44 complaints were recorded, out of which Saja area had 13, Bemetara (20) and Navagarh (8) and three complaints through NGS portal and local level, which have been resolved,” he pointed out.

Kawre reiterated that the Strong Room would be opened on December 11 in presence of Election Observer and candidates. Each table will have a Micro Observer.

Notably, late on Tuesday night, one of the Congress party representatives, Sunil Namdeo had gone for inspection of Strong Room in Bemetara where he noticed the police personnel using the laptop in the premises.

He raised objection to it and registered complaint with the Collector and State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel and Bemetara District Congress President Avnish Raghav.