Jammu, Feb 27: In preparation for the upcoming 2024 Parliamentary elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has commenced training sessions for staff across all categories, including security personnel, for the five seats of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir .
According to sources, the training, spanning all categories of staff to be deployed for the five Lok Sabha seats of J&K, will persist until the commencement of vote counting.
Rameshwar, Deputy District Election Officer (DEO) of Jammu, stated, “There is no specific time frame for the completion of training, as it involves various phases and will continue until the counting of votes.”
The training curriculum includes comprehensive instructions on various aspects, including the issuance and handling of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), procedures for transporting EVMs, and protocols for sealing and storing EVMs in the strong room post-election.
Additionally, the staff slated for deployment in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls are being trained in the handling, dispatching, and storage of EVMs both before and after the conclusion of the electoral process.
Sources revealed that currently, the ECI is focusing on training officers, with plans to extend training to other staff assigned to various duties for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls once the officer training concludes. This training is an ongoing process and will continue until the commencement of vote counting for all Lok Sabha seats in J&K.
The ECI has mandated that all vehicles involved in the transportation of EVMs for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls must be equipped with GPS tracking systems. This measure is aimed at ensuring transparent and accountable conduct of elections in the Union Territory of J&K.
