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MUMBAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to state chief secretary Nitin Kareer directing the suspension of three sub-district officials after a Demo Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) was stolen from the strong room where it was stored in Pune’s Saswad tehsil. Two 21-year old men have been arrested and the EVM has been recovered after a case was registered on Monday, officials said.
This is the first such incident in the state. Although this was a demo EVM, this has raised concerns about the security of EVMs just a few months before Lok Sabha polls are due in the country.
Officials emphasized that the demo EVM was not used for voting but for training and awareness purposes. However, Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Deshpande acknowledged, “This is a serious matter and the ECI has taken strong note of it.”
In its letter to Kareer, the ECI asked for the suspension of the sub-divisional officer, tehsildar and sub-divisional police officer said disciplinary proceedings be initiated against them. The ECI has also said an explanation should be sought from the district election officer (Pune) and the superintendent of police (Pune rural) for not ensuring that security protocols were maintained in the strong room.
Separately, the ECI has asked the state’s chief electoral officer to set up a committee to probe the matter. Accordingly, a committee has been set up with the divisional commissioner of Pune and range IGP of Kolhapur.
Speaking to the media, chief electoral officer Deshpande said that demo EVMs had been deputed in the voter awareness campaign being conducted since December 2023. A set of 40 EVMs had been placed in a strong room at Saswad tehsil. The strong room was supposed to follow protocols including strict security and a double lock system.
On Monday morning, the lock of the strong room was found broken. One demo EVM and stationary was found missing. An FIR was filed with the police and a report sent to the ECI. The police suspected the theft took place at around 3.45 am on Sunday.
“The preliminary inquiry found a lapse on the part of the police. The police guard was found missing on the weekend. The assistant police inspector has been suspended,” said Deshpande.
The two suspects arrested are 21 year-old men: Bhaiyya alias Shivaji Ramdas Bandgar and Ajinkya Raju Salunke. They have confessed to the crime, a press statement said. A third suspect seen in CCTV footage is yet to be apprehended. One demo EVM and five paper reams of stationary have been recovered from them.
Deshpande emphasized that the incident was no reflection on the integrity of EVMs. “The demo EVMs are not used for the polls. They are only used for training and awareness purposes. There is a stamp on them demarcating that they are demo EVMs. They are stored in a separate strong room from the EVMs which are used for polls,” he said.
This is the first such incident in the state. Although this was a demo EVM, this has raised concerns about the security of EVMs just a few months before Lok Sabha polls are due in the country.
Officials emphasized that the demo EVM was not used for voting but for training and awareness purposes. However, Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Deshpande acknowledged, “This is a serious matter and the ECI has taken strong note of it.”
In its letter to Kareer, the ECI asked for the suspension of the sub-divisional officer, tehsildar and sub-divisional police officer said disciplinary proceedings be initiated against them. The ECI has also said an explanation should be sought from the district election officer (Pune) and the superintendent of police (Pune rural) for not ensuring that security protocols were maintained in the strong room.
Separately, the ECI has asked the state’s chief electoral officer to set up a committee to probe the matter. Accordingly, a committee has been set up with the divisional commissioner of Pune and range IGP of Kolhapur.
Speaking to the media, chief electoral officer Deshpande said that demo EVMs had been deputed in the voter awareness campaign being conducted since December 2023. A set of 40 EVMs had been placed in a strong room at Saswad tehsil. The strong room was supposed to follow protocols including strict security and a double lock system.
On Monday morning, the lock of the strong room was found broken. One demo EVM and stationary was found missing. An FIR was filed with the police and a report sent to the ECI. The police suspected the theft took place at around 3.45 am on Sunday.
“The preliminary inquiry found a lapse on the part of the police. The police guard was found missing on the weekend. The assistant police inspector has been suspended,” said Deshpande.
The two suspects arrested are 21 year-old men: Bhaiyya alias Shivaji Ramdas Bandgar and Ajinkya Raju Salunke. They have confessed to the crime, a press statement said. A third suspect seen in CCTV footage is yet to be apprehended. One demo EVM and five paper reams of stationary have been recovered from them.
Deshpande emphasized that the incident was no reflection on the integrity of EVMs. “The demo EVMs are not used for the polls. They are only used for training and awareness purposes. There is a stamp on them demarcating that they are demo EVMs. They are stored in a separate strong room from the EVMs which are used for polls,” he said.
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