Gandhinagar/Anand, April 24 (IANS) Electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units used in the by-election to the Umreth Assembly constituency of Gujarat have been sealed and secured in strongrooms following the completion of polling, officials said on Friday.

Polling was conducted across 306 polling stations in the Assembly constituency on Thursday.

After the close of voting, all polled EVMs and VVPATs were transported and stored in designated strongrooms in the presence of contesting candidates or their authorised representatives, as well as Central Observers appointed by the Election Commission.

The process was carried out under videography in line with prescribed procedures.

According to the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sandeep Sangle, the storage follows Election Commission protocols, including a two-tier armed security system with at least one platoon of armed personnel guarding the premises and continuous CCTV surveillance.

Reserve EVMs and VVPATs have been stored separately in a reserve strongroom under similar safeguards.

“All contesting candidates have been informed in writing to depute their representatives to monitor the security arrangements,” the statement said, adding that they are permitted to remain outside the inner security perimeter.

A live CCTV display has been provided for their observation.

The strongroom will be opened on the day of counting in the presence of candidates or their representatives and Central Observers under videography.

“Polling in the Assembly constituency was conducted peacefully, with voter turnout recorded at about 59.04 per cent,” according to official data released after voting concluded.

Earlier on Friday, voter turnout figures rose steadily from around 25 per cent by late morning to more than 54 per cent by evening before final consolidation.

The by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Govind Parmar in March, after which the seat was declared vacant.

The Umreth Assembly constituency, located in Anand district, has more than 2.45 lakh registered voters and includes both urban and rural polling seats.

The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4.

–IANS

mys/khz