Odisha CEO Dismisses ‘Baseless’ Claims Of EVM Transport Ahead Of Nuapada Bypoll
Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R.S Gopalan on Monday rubbished allegations made by a political party that a truckload of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was secretly transported from Ganjam district to Nuapada ahead of the Assembly by-election, calling the claims “baseless and impossible.”
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R.S Gopalan on Monday rubbished allegations made by a political party that a truckload of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was secretly transported from Ganjam district to Nuapada ahead of the Assembly by-election, calling the claims “baseless and impossible.”
Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Gopalan said all EVMs being used in the Nuapada bypoll were sourced exclusively from the district’s designated warehouse, and no machines had been moved from any other district.
“EVMs are stored and procured only from the Nuapada warehouse. The allegation that the Nuapada Collector brought EVMs from Ganjam is entirely false,” he said.
The CEO clarified that Ganjam district houses two EVM warehouses, both of which have remained sealed this month and have not been opened even for routine inspection. Following the complaint, CCTV footage from both warehouses was examined by his office and the Election Commission of India (ECI). “We verified the video recordings and found the warehouses intact. There was no movement of any EVMs,” he added.
Gopalan explained that EVM strong rooms are maintained in all 30 districts of Odisha under stringent security protocols. Each warehouse is periodically inspected in the presence of representatives from recognised political parties, with the entire process recorded on video to ensure transparency.
He also detailed the procedure for authorised EVM movement, saying every transfer — whether for repair or replacement — is documented and tracked.
“Whenever an EVM is transported, every police station along the route is informed, and the vehicle details are shared for monitoring. It is technically and administratively impossible for any official to transport EVMs without clearance from the Election Commission,” he asserted.
The clarification came after a section of opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders accused the Nuapada Collector of secretly bringing a truckload of EVMs from Ganjam and concealing them locally. The allegation, amplified by a regional television channel, prompted the ECI to immediately verify the claim.
Rejecting the charge, Gopalan said no complaint of EVM tampering or unauthorised movement has ever been substantiated in Odisha. “For 75 years, the Election Commission of India has upheld complete transparency. No court has ever validated any allegation of EVM manipulation,” he said.