Visakhapatnam: The keys of EVMs kept in the store room at Nellimarla in Vizianagaram district went missing for more than two hours, causing concern among the officials on Monday.
Vizianagaram district collector BR Ambedkar and some senior officials went to the godown in the morning to conduct a mock polling exercise following a complaint lodged by former MLA of Gajapathinagaram, Botsa Appala Narsaiah, and former Vizianagaram MP, Bellana Chandrasekhar, with the Election Commission.
Initially the officials told the collector that the keys were with RDO K Suryakala but later said they were with the deputy tahsildar of Gajapathinagaram. The confusion occurred “due to the recent transfers and shuffling of officials,” sources said.
The collector fumed in anger and threatened action against the errant officials. The room was opened a while later and the collector did a random inspection of the EVMs as per the EC directions.
In addition to the collector, district revenue officer Anitha, nodal officer Umashankar and Gajapathinagaram constituency level returning officer were present.
