2024 Lok Sabha Polls: ECI mandates GPS for EVM transport in J&K, enhancing election transparency 

Post by Arvind Sharma on Sunday, February 25, 2024

JAMMU, Feb 25: In a significant move towards ensuring transparency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed that all vehicles transporting Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) must be equipped with modern GPS and vehicle tracking systems.

Deputy District Electoral Officer, Rameshwar, informed Rising Kashmir, “The ECI has ordered that all vehicles carrying and shifting EVMs from one place to another in the Union Territory (UT) of J&K must have the modern GPS vehicle tracking system for ensuring transparent and smooth 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”

This directive underscores the ECI’s commitment to implementing measures that uphold the integrity of the electoral process. The move is part of a series of initiatives aimed at ensuring transparent Lok Sabha polls, with the use of GPS-equipped vehicles for EVM transportation being a pivotal step in this endeavour.

Furthermore, preparations are underway for the establishment of the first-ever EVM Bank in J&K, located at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu. With a storage capacity of 5000 EVMs, the EVM Bank is slated for completion before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Work on the facility is progressing rapidly to meet the ECI’s timelines.

The officer highlighted that the ECI has instructed that the EVM Bank in J&K must be operational to store EVMs for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This proactive measure ensures the availability of EVMs for transportation to various locations across J&K as required.

The introduction of GPS-equipped vehicles for EVM transport and the establishment of the EVM Bank underscore the ECI’s commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in Jammu and Kashmir. These initiatives serve to bolster public confidence in the electoral process and uphold the principles of democracy.