The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), in which the electoral fate of the Bihar assembly election candidates has been sealed, were kept under tight security in strong rooms, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Wednesday.
Votes will be counted on Friday in 46 centres across the 38 districts of Bihar. The EVMs and VVPATs used in the polling have been sealed inside strong rooms, which are under a two-tier security cover, the ECI said in a statement.
“While the inner security of the premises has been assigned to Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), district police have been deployed to maintain outer security. Furthermore, 24×7 CCTV surveillance and other security provisions have been put in place,” it said.
A control room has also been set up within every strong room campus, where senior officials will be on duty.
All district election officers and returning officers of the assembly constituencies concerned have been directed to inspect the strong rooms daily, the statement said.
EVMs and VVPATs that were found defective during the mock poll, as well as other unused machines, have been stored separately, it said.
The two-phase polling for the assembly elections was held on November 6 and 11.
Bihar has registered an unprecedented voter turnout of 66.91 per cent in the history of state polls since 1951.
The EVMs and VVPATs used in the polling have been sealed inside strong rooms
