On Sunday, polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems from six assembly constituencies in East Singhbhum district were securely sealed in the strong room at Jamshedpur Co-operative College (JCC). To ensure their safety, 100 CCTV cameras have been installed for round-the-clock surveillance. While the majority of EVMs and VVPATs had arrived at the strong room by late Saturday evening, EVMs from some polling booths in the naxal-infested Ghatshila and Ghurabandha constituencies were brought to JCC on Sunday morning. These remote areas faced significant logistical challenges that delayed the transport of EVMs. The transportation of EVMs from Ghatshila and Ghurabandha, known for their naxal activity, was particularly challenging. The equipment was initially brought to cluster centers at block offices but couldnt be transported further on Saturday evening due to the late hour and security concerns. East Singhbhum district senior superintendent of police, Kishore Kaushal, confirmed that more than two dozen EVMs were safely brought from the naxal-affected areas on Sunday. The EVMs were transported under heavy security before being moved to the JCC strong room. "Places like Jhantijharna, Balidih, Phuljhore, Bhumgu in Ghatshila constituency, and Muchrisole, Bakrikocha, Ghura, and Dangra Pahad in Ghurabandha are naxal-infested. The EVMs were brought to cluster points from these polling booths. Therefore, the EVMs were brought to the JCC strong room today," said an official. The six constituencies under East Singhbhum include Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Jugsalai, Ghatshila, Potka, and Baharagora. In the urban constituencies of Jamshedpur East and Jamshedpur West, VVPATs were used during polling. The rural constituencies of Ghatshila, Potka, and Baharagora only used EVMs. As East Singhbhum district prepares for the vote count, stringent security measures, including the deployment of 100 CCTV cameras, are in place to safeguard the EVMs and VVPATs at the JCC strong room. The challenges posed by naxal threats and logistical hurdles underscore the complexity of conducting elections in these areas, highlighting the importance of security and efficiency in the electoral process.

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