Congress workers guard EVM stores
RAIPUR: Congress workers in several Chhattisgarh constituencies are guarding electronic voting machine (EVM) storerooms even as the administration has sealed their windows and doors by constructing brick walls.
Chhattisgarh was the first among five states to go to the polls in two phases, November 12 and November 20. Counting of votes is due on December 11. “It is a long waiting period and we don’t want to take any chances,” said Pras Nath Rajwade, a Congress candidate from Bhatgaon constituency of Surajpur district, who pitched a tent outside a storeroom on Thursday for round-the-clock vigil. “There is no CCTV outside the building, so we have decided to post our workers there... ”
Two other Congress candidates in the district have followed suit, claiming there is a possibility of Evm-tampering. “On Friday, we will have all district units keeping 24-hour surveillance on EVM machine storerooms...” said Congress spokesperson and state general secretary, Shailesh Nitin Trivedi.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sachidanand Upasane said: “The Congress has tampered with ballots and EVMS when they were in power, so they are suspicious now. We believe in the people’s mandate.”
Surajpur collector KC Devasenapathi said there was nothing wrong in a candidate or his work- ers camping outside the strong room. “As per Election Commission directions, any candidate can camp outside the strong room with permission from the collector,” he said.
On Wednesday, officials in Bemetara have got a brick wall built to seal the main door of an EVM storeroom after a large number of people were coming there to see the EVMS, a local district official said. In Balod district, officials went a step ahead by sealing all doors and windows of a storeroom in a college building with brick walls. Officials said the EVM storerooms are fully sealed. The paramilitary forces are the first ring of security and the state police are the outer ring. “District collectors monitor the security through CCTV installed in the buildings,” said chief electoral officer Subrat Sahoo.