NEW DELHI: A day after the Aam Aadmi Party alleged breach of security of EVMs in Punjab, the Election Commission sent a team to the state to review security arrangements. Selected constituencies were visited by the two member team. They were also asked to interact with political parties and take note of their concerns. The team went through CCTV footage and log books maintained at strong rooms.
AAP had alleged that there had been "multiple instances of breach in EVMs' safety" in the state, where the party is hopeful of forming a government. It also claimed that May 2015-notification of the EC, which lists out instructions regarding the storage, physical verification, and movements of EVMs are not being complied with. Accusing officials in Punjab of trying to move EVMs from a strong room in Punjab where polling was held on February 4, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "This is absolutely shocking. Punjab officials trying to remove EVM machines."
The allegations were related to some trunks, carrying EVMs inside, being moved in Punjab's Patiala district, and a video of the exercise being shot by a local AAP leader. The leader also posted a video showing men opening and moving boxes appearing to contain Electronic Voting Machines. "Officers entered strong room on the pretext of taking some papers but started removing EVMs," Kejri said. AAP leader Sanjay Singh said that he had asked the Chief Election Commissioner and other officials to take strict action in the matter.
However, Patiala Deputy Commissioner Ramvir Singh, who had visited the strongroom, claimed that the EVMs being moved were related to the municipal corporation elections held in 2015 and that they were being moved to make space for counting of votes on March 11. He assured that the EVMs of the assembly elections were "intact in the strongroom".
AAP's Punjab unit also complained to Punjab chief electoral officer VK Singh in Chandigarh. "They stopped removing the trunks carrying the EVMs when the AAP leaders objected to it," an AAP leader said.
