Madhya Pradesh HC Rejects Plea Alleging Lack of Sufficient Security to EVMs [Read Order]

“These strong rooms are under the security of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces with a triple cordon of security.”

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has disposed of a plea of a Congress leader who had expressed his concern over the alleged lack of sufficient security in some districts in respect of polled/unused electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) in the Assembly election in the State.

Naresh Saraf, in his petition, alleged that attempts were made to tamper with the polled EVMs/VVPATs used in some districts. The Election Commission of India refuted the entire allegation raised in the plea. It also placed before the bench the report submitted by Chief Electoral Officer to the Election Commission of India refuting media reports on short-term failure of CCTV cameras due to power cut in Bhopal and delay in depositing three unused EVMs/VVPATs machine in Khandwa.

Perusing the reports filed by the bench comprising Chief Justice SK Seth and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla observed that the strong rooms for storing polled EVMs/VVPATs and warehouses for unused/reserved EVMs/VVPATs are separate buildings with separate security arrangements.

 “It was further clear that the strong room with polled EVMs/VVPATs were sealed immediately after poll to be opened on the day of counting i.e. on 11.12.2018. These strong rooms are under the security of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces with a triple cordon of security,” the bench said.

Disposing of the plea, the bench said: “We are of the considered view that in light of above, we feel that no further action is required by us in this petition.”