Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena has asked the district officials to ensure fool-proof security at the strongrooms where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been stored, and has advised the officials to be alert round the clock to prevent any untoward incidents there.
Mr. Meena inspected the strongrooms set up at the Andhra University College of Engineering College (AUCE) along with District Election Officer and Collector A. Mallikarjuna and Police Commissioner A. Ravisankar on May 18 (Saturday).
The EVMs pertaining to the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency and the seven Assembly constituencies under it were stored on the AUCE premises. The CEO also examined the locks on the doors and the seals on them, and enquired about the CCTV cameras installed at various locations and their functioning. He directed the Collector to ensure three-layer security at the strongrooms and continuously monitor it.
Unauthorised persons should not be allowed near the area where the strongrooms were located, Mr. Meena said, and directed the officials to adhere to all the laid down by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The Collector and the Police Commissioner apprised the CEO of the situation at the strongrooms and the measures taken to ensure the safety of the EVMs there.
Joint Collector K. Mayur Ashok and the Returning Officers of respective constituencies were among others present.
