Giving credence to the allegations made by the Congress and AAP, the Election Commission on Sunday admitted that a strongroom in Bhopal where EVMs were stored faced blackout for nearly one hour 20 minutes on Friday, a day after November 28 elections.
In a statement, the poll panel admitted that the CCTV cameras in the strongroom were shut during the blackout. The Congress, citing the statement of a personnel deployed to secure the strongroom, had alleged that the CCTV cameras were deliberately shut off in the presence of the Collector and SP.
"A report obtained from the Bhopal Collector states that CCTV cameras and an LED display installed outside the strongroom did not function from 8.19 am to 9.35 am on November 30 due to the failure of electricity supply. Because of this, the recording could not be done during the given time period. An additional LED screen, an inverter and a generator have been installed in order to ensure continuous electricity supply," the Commission said in a statement.
The Commission said the cameras in the strongroom were functional now.
Fearing further tampering of the machines, Congress and AAP workers are patrolling the strongroom in old Bhopal jail since Friday in shifts. Congress's Madhya Pradesh unit chief Kamal Nath appealed candidates to monitor the EVMs till December 11, the day of result declaration.
Assuring the protesters, Bhopal DIG Dharmendra Choudhary said the EVMs kept inside the strong room are secure. He said that the EVMs have been given a three-layer security cover and no one could enter the area without signing at the gate.
Regarding Sagar incident, the Commission said, the machines were of the reserve category and were meant to be back-up. It said the Nayab Tehsildar, the official responsible for delivering the reserve machines on time, has been suspended.
"There has not been any tampering whatsoever with the machines," it said.
Contesting Commission's clarification, Congress leader Vivek Tankha said, "The spare EVMs were to be deposited two hours after the polls and not after two days. This happened in the Khuria seat from where the state home minister is contesting the polls."
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was in Jaipur for poll campaign on Sunday, repeated the allegations and asked party workers to be utmost vigilant after polling in Rajasthan.
"We received reports that in many strongrooms CCTV & electricity were switched off for 1-2 hours. In Sagar, a bus without a number plate reached the strongroom 48 hours after polling. There were 60-70 EVMs in that bus. This raises many questions," he said.
In another incident that raised suspicion on free and fair polls, EVMs were found in a hotel allegedly belonging to a BJP supporter in Shajapur, a day before polling took place in MP.
The Commission confirmed that a team of poll officials had checked in to the hotel room, against the instructions.
It said that the officials had been replaced and no evidence of tampering was found in the machines. Two officials have been suspended in the incident. The EC said the machines were not used in polling.
SIMILAR INCIDENTS
1. In Sagar, a bus without a number plate carrying 60-70 EVMs allegedly reached the strongroom 48 hours after polling
Clarification
EC said the EVMs were of reserved category and were not used in the polls
2. Some EVMs were allegedly found in a hotel room a day before polling took place in Madhya Pradesh
Clarification
EC said machines were neither tampered nor used. 2 poll officials suspended for flouting rules
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