Leh, July 09: In adherence to the directives from the Election Commission of India, the Chief Electoral Officer of UT Ladakh has issued an order for the deposition of outdated and non-functional EVMs and VVPATs to the BEL Factory in Bangalore. This significant operation involves the disposal of M-2 BEL Make EVMs and the transfer of defective M-3 BEL Make EVMs/VVPATs for necessary repairs.
The directive, referenced under the instructions issued by the Election Commission of India (No. 51/08/M2-Disposal/2023/EVM (P&T), dated 02/01/2024), was conveyed by the Chief Electoral Officer of UT Ladakh (No. CEO/GEN/08/UTL/2024/2466-68, dated 11.06.2024). According to the order, the M-2 EVMs, including 21 Ballot Units (BUs) and 23 Control Units (CUs), which have completed 15 years of service, are to be transported to the BEL Factory for destruction. Additionally, non-functional M-3 EVMs and VVPATs, consisting of 1 BU, 4 CUs, and 9 VVPATs found defective during the 2024 Lok Sabha Election in Leh district, are to be sent for repairs.
The Election Cell in Leh has been tasked with arranging the necessary logistics for this operation. This includes hiring a GPS-installed closed container for transportation. The EVMs and VVPATs must be registered on the EMS Portal by July 5, 2024. Mohd Hassan, Naib Tehsildar Khas, Leh, has been appointed to oversee the magisterial duty during the transportation process from Leh to Kargil. He is responsible for ensuring the safe handover of the equipment to the Election Cell in Kargil for further transportation to the BEL Factory.
The District Police Office in Leh has been instructed to provide armed security to escort the EVM-carrying containers from Leh to Kargil. The EVMs and VVPATs will be loaded into the containers at the EVM Warehouse, SSK, Leh, on July 8, 2024, under proper video coverage by a cameraman from the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Leh.
The movement of the EVM-carrying containers, escorted by armed security and supervised by the Naib Tehsildar, will commence from Leh to Kargil on July 8, 2024. The containers will prominently display “Election Materials-Urgent” on their windscreens and will be GPS-tracked throughout the journey to ensure their security and timely arrival.
