MARGAO
With the 2024 Lok Sabha polls a little over a year away, the election authorities have started gearing up for the polls in right earnest.
Saturday saw the State receiving the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from Hyderabad under strict police protection. The Controlling Unit, the Ballot units and the VVPATs were on Saturday unloaded from a vehicle at the Old South Goa Collectorate building and stored in the election room.
Election Officer Ramesh Gaonkar received around 450 VVPATs, around 100 controlling units and 384 ballot units. They were all stored inside the room, which is being manned by police round-the-clock.
Sources informed that the EVMs owned by the Election Commission of India have been dispatched from three districts of Hyderabad. They were scanned at the time of transportation at the place of dispatch and have been shown in transit till they reached Goa.
Sources said election officials attached to the South Goa Collectorate will again scan the EVMs and will be shown on the district Collector’s website.
A senior official informed that while a huge vehicle unloaded the EVMs meant for the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency at the Old Collectorate building, the quota for the North Lok Sabha constituency was transported to Panaji.
“The dispatch of the EVMs by the Election Commission of India is part of the preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. These EVMs will be used to conduct the polls for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat,” the official said, saying that the process of preparation for the Lok Sabha polls has started.
