EVMs, VVPATs moved to Assembly constituencies after first randomization

After the first randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) to be used in all six Assembly constituencies in the district, the machines were transported with heavy police protection to the Assembly segments on Tuesday.

In the presence of District Collector K. Elambahavath, the General Observers and the representatives of recognised political parties, the first randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs was done on Monday. After the end of the randomisation, the dispatch of EVMs to respective Assembly constituencies started on Tuesday.

Even as the armed policemen were giving protection, the EVMs and VVPATs were sent to the destinations in GPS-fitted container trucks. The EVMs and the VVPATs were kept in designated strongrooms in the Offices of Vilathikulam, Ottapidaram, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur and Srivaikundam Tahsildars. The rooms were sealed after the EVMs and VVPATs were kept there even as armed policemen are giving round the clock protection to these strongrooms.

After the withdrawal of nominations, the symbols will be fixed in the EVMs in the presence of Observers and the candidates’ representatives.