AJP Urges ECI to Install IPCCTV at Strong Rooms: Apprehends EVMs Safety

GUWAHATI: The regional front of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to install internet protocol close circuit cameras (IPCCTV) at the strong rooms for the maximum security of the EVM machines while stored in the strong rooms before the counting of the votes on May 2.

An IPCCTV is a digital video camera much like a webcam, which transmits and receives data over a network or the internet. The IP camera connects to a network in exactly the same way as any other standard network device such as a laptop, tablet, or printer.

While the three phases Assam assembly election would end on April 6, the counting of the votes would be done almost a month later on May 2. AJP apprehended the safety and security of the polled EVMs.

In a memorandum to the ECI, AJP said, “The ECI allows physical monitoring of the strong rooms by representatives of the candidates. But, despite that, there are allegations and apprehensions about the safety and security of the polled EVMs during storage in the strong rooms. We, from AJP, would, therefore like to suggest that IPCCTV may perhaps be installed in every strong room so that the same could be watched by each and every candidate from a distance or from home and office and be satisfied that the EVMs are in safe custody.”

Citing the reasons, AJP added, “The other reason why we are requesting such a measure is that there is a big interval between the date of completion of election and the date of counting of the votes. We hope that Commission would consider the proposal and implement the same at the earliest convenience.”

Assam was undergoing the second phase of polls on Thursday. The first phase of polls registered a voter turnout of around 80 percent.

Read More : Assam Polls: 27.47% voters turnout till 12 pm in the second phase