A day before counting, anxiety writ large on political parties
The fact that the state elections are held months before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections added to the disquiet.
Reacting to the Bhopal Collector Sudam Khade’s report to the Election Commission of India (EC) mentioning that “power failure in the area” was the reason behind the blackout in a strongroom where EVMs are stored, officials of the MP Central Region Power Distribution Company (MPCRPDC) have rubbished the claim. They said electricity supply was not at all interrupted from the power company during the said period when the EVM strongroom blackout was reported.
“There was absolutely no power cut in that area from the power company and electricity supply from our side remained uninterrupted,” MPCRPDC Bhopal City Circle South Division Deputy General Manager (DGM) Zahid Khan told The Statesman on Monday.
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“I have personally verified all power supply data and logs of the said period on 30 November and there was no power cut from the power company,” Khan asserted.
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“In fact, power is being supplied to the strong room in Central Jail premises housing the EVMs through two separate feeders. So there is no chance of power failure there,” Khan pointed out. Bhopal Collector Sudam Khade had submitted his report to the EC over the matter a day ago.
Based on his report, the EC had issued a statement, which said, “A report obtained from the Bhopal Collector states that CCTV cameras and an LED display installed outside the strong room did not function from 8.19 AM to 9.35 AM on 30 November 2018 due to the failure of electricity supply. Because of this, the recording could not be done during the given time period. An additional LED screen, an inverter and a generator have been installed in order to ensure continuous electricity supply.”
A major controversy erupted over the power failure for over an hour in the strong room located in the Old Jail premises in Bhopal on the morning of 30 November and the Congress lodged a formal complaint with the EC. The AAP also alleged that the power failure was part of ‘a larger conspiracy’.
The counting of votes and announcement of results for the 28 November Assembly polls in MP will take place on 11 December.
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