Mysore/Mysuru: All Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machines, as well as the attached control units and ballot units, have been securely kept back at the EVM Warehouse near the new Deputy Commissioner’s Office at Siddarthanagar.

The entire counting process for the Mysuru-Kodagu Lok Sabha seat concluded at 4 pm yesterday and the packing process commenced at 5 pm. Machines and their respective boxes were then loaded onto container-type trucks with locks to be transported to the Warehouse.

One vehicle was dedicated to one Constituency and the machines of Kodagu Constituency  (Madikeri and Virajpet) were transported to Kodagu to be stored in the strong rooms set up there, Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra, who is also the District Electoral Officer told Star of Mysore this morning.

Each truck, dedicated to a specific Constituency, began its journey from the counting centre at Maharani’s College of Commerce and Management in Vinayakanagar (Paduvarahalli), accompanied by one ASI and two Police Constables for security.

The EVMs and VVPATs belonging to Hunsur, Chamaraja, Krishnaraja, Chamundeshwari, Periyapatna and Narasimharaja Constituencies were shifted to the Warehouse. Inside the Warehouse, the EVMs are arranged according to Assembly Constituencies, with ample space provided for all Mysuru Constituencies.

Following the process of shifting and arranging the boxes by Constituencies, Assistant Returning Officers and Tahsildars entered the details electronically, using gadgets supplied by the Election Commission. The entire process was videographed to ensure transparency. After the accounting process concluded, the data was uploaded to the Election Commission servers as per the prescribed format.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that the machines have been stored according to the directives of the Election Commission, awaiting further instructions from the Commission regarding the next steps. The shifting process was supervised by Vijayanagar ACP Gajendra Prasad and Jayalakshmipuram Inspector Vinay.

Upon placing the machines as per norms, the Warehouse rooms were sealed and CCTV cameras inside and outside were activated. Security of the Warehouse is maintained by Narasimharaja Inspector Mahadevaswamy and his staff.

The Warehouse is under the direct control of the District Electoral Officer or the Deputy Commissioner, secured with a double lock and guarded round the clock by Policemen or security guards, with continuous CCTV surveillance. During non-election periods, EVMs cannot be moved out of the warehouse without specific instructions from the Election Commission.

At the counting centre, the removal of barricades, tents, and other associated paraphernalia is underway, with personnel from the Mysuru City Corporation cleaning the premises to ensure resumption of  classes tomorrow.