Store EVMs in government buildings only: EC’s advisory to electoral officers

New Delhi: Electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs should be stored only in government buildings and under proper security during the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission said in a detailed advisory to chief electoral officers (CEO) of states and Union Territories.

Following the controversy that erupted in MP over storage of reserve EVM-VVPATs in a police station, the EC said that machines should not be kept in a police station except on written orders from the CEO and only in extraordinary circumstances. Reserve EVMs are spare machines that are used in case a machine malfunctions.

The stricter new standard operating procedure is aimed at avoiding any controversy around the EVMs or VVPATs in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Observing that there were instances brought to its notice of reserved EVMs and VVPATs “kept in private place or police stations”, the EC has said this resulted in “creating avoidable doubt on storage and safety of EVMs and VVPATs.”


The EC said as far as possible reserve EVMs should only be provided to sector officers/zonal magistrates on the polling day. However, if logistics requires reserve EVMs and VVPATs to be sent out before poll day, they should be kept only at a “government building with proper security”.