The second round of randomization of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) for the upcoming General Assembly Elections 2024 was successfully carried out today at the District Election Officer's office in Poonch.
The process was conducted under the supervision of General Election Observers Solai Bharathi Dasan and District Election Officer Vikas Kundal in strict adherence to the guidelines set by the Election Commission of India (ECI), ensuring transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
A total of 724 EVMs have been designated for the three Assembly constituencies in Poonch district, including 226 EVMs for Surankote, 213 for Mendhar, and 285 for Haveli. These allocations correspond with the number of polling stations in each constituency: 142 in Mendhar, 151 in Surankote, and 190 in Haveli.
The randomization process, conducted through the ECI's EMS Software/Portal, determined which specific machines would be assigned to each polling station. An additional 33 % of EVMs will remain in reserve to address any contingencies on Election Day.
Officials and representatives from various national and state-recognized political parties attended the event, with their presence ensuring the impartiality and transparency of the randomization. Lists of randomized Control Units (CUs), Ballot Units (BUs), and VVPATs were distributed to the party representatives, providing them complete insight into the process. The entire procedure was videographed in line with ECI regulations to further ensure transparency.
District Election Officer Vikas Kundal remarked, "We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of fairness and integrity in the election process. The successful randomization of EVMs and VVPATs reflects our dedication to ensuring that all voters and political parties have complete confidence in the system."
The randomization process was also attended by Joint Director/DIO NIC, Parvinder Singh, Returning Officers of Haveli, Qadeer Ul Rehman, RO Mendhar and Surankote Assembly constituencies, and other district election authorities of Poonch district.