Ferozepur: 24×7 hrs 3-layer security for EVM strong rooms ahead of June 4 counting day

Ferozepur: 24×7 hrs 3-layer security for EVM strong rooms ahead of June 4 counting day

Ferozepur, June 3, 2024:  The police department is providing three-layer security for the 4 strong rooms where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were preserved for counting on June 4. Surveillance cameras were installed at the strong rooms to keep a constant vigil and the central paramilitary forces would be guarding the strong rooms.

24×7 CCTV vigil and daily visits by the ROs are part of a robust mechanism to guard the strong rooms. Logbooks are maintained in each of the strong rooms and the CCTV facility has backup and display.

On Sunday, the senior officers of the police department inspected the strong room to take stock of the security arrangements.  Randhir Kumar, SP (Investigation) informed that adequate security arrangements in and outside the 4 strong rooms at different places, where EVMs have been stored, have been made, to avoid any untoward incident.  Every strong room is under 3-layer security, and keeping an eye on the movement around the strong rooms.

In the first layer is a para-military force, in the second, the state armed force in and the third layer, Punjab Police personnel have been deployed.  In all the strong rooms, a watch tower has also been set up, with the deployment of the police force. In every strong, around 50 security staff members have been deployed to keep a hawk-eye on the EVMs. The strong rooms have also been covered from all sides with security staff and no one is allowed to enter in the strong room.  Even no one is allowed to stay for a long time near the strong rooms.  There will be heavy force deployment on the day of counting on June 4 besides monitoring the process through CCTV and drone, to complete the counting process impartially.

These EVMs would be opened for counting in the presence of agents of the political parties on June 4, amid tight security.