Maharashtra bypolls: Palghar EVMs sent in private car to strong room

Palghar (Maharashtra), May 29: After polling ended in the Palghar Lok Sabha bye-elections on Monday night, a polling officer in Maharashtra broke protocol and transported the confidential VVPAT-EVMs by his private car to the strong room, early on Tuesday.

Confirming the incident, Palghar Collector Prashant Narnaware said that a report has been received from the election Zonal Office and a detailed investigation has been ordered through by the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) of the area.

According to available information, the concerned official, apparently tired of waiting for the bus, called for his own private car from home. It is not clear whether he was accompanied by any security personnel on this venture.

The Collector concurred that it was indeed “a serious lapse” since, after the voting in any elections, “the EVM-VVPATs are considered sacrosanct” and cannot be moved around anywhere in such an unauthorized manner.

“As per the guidelines, after voting is completed, a special bus is sent to pick up all the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail-Electronic Voting Machines from all the polling centres.

“Each bus has a specific route by which it travels, picks up the machines and takes them to the ARO office. In this case, the laid down procedures were not followed by the concerned officer,” Narnaware said.

The officer, whose name has not yet been made known, was the polling officer at Chinchani polling station in Dahanu sub-district. (IANS)