Demanding that electronic voting machines (EVMs) be guarded by paramilitary forces till October 19, the BJP Ambala Cantt candidate Anil Vij staged a dharna outside Kalpana Chawla Polytechnic (KCP) in Ambala City.
The dharna was started on October 15 night and continued till Thursday morning when the administration replaced Haryana Armed Police (HAP) with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The counting for votes from Cantt assembly segment will be held at KCP. So EVMs from Cantt polling booths were shifted to the college in City and the administration deployed HAP jawans at the strong room where the machines were stored.
On learning that HAP jawans were guarding the machines, Vij along with party workers reached KCP and protested that they did not trust the local police and were apprehensive the EVMs may be tampered with, the locals said.
Holding that local police could not be deployed for vigilance as per election commission guidelines, Vij insisted that CRPF be deployed for the purpose.
Locals also said that returning officer Aurbind Sharma reached the spot and explained that paramilitary forced had been assigned duty elsewhere.
{{/usCountry}}Locals also said that returning officer Aurbind Sharma reached the spot and explained that paramilitary forced had been assigned duty elsewhere.
{{/usCountry}}When the ADC assured that EVMs will not tampered with, Vij did not relent and continued with the dharna, sources said.
The administration then conceded and the CRPF reached KCP at 3 am. The dharna was then called off.
Sources said the administration also deputed Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel at KCP on Thursday morning.