Chennai, Apr, 24 (PTI) As the EC shifted EVMs to the strong rooms following polling on April 23, political parties including ruling DMK and the AIADMK and have decided to maintain 24/7 shift-based vigil at the designated centres.
Ahead of the May 4 counting of polled votes, the Election Commission has shifted the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) to the strong rooms.
Though multiple security systems including central armed police force, Tamil Nadu special police teams were in place, political parties have deployed their cadres to ensure the safety of EVMs.
R M Babu Murugavel, Joint Secretary, AIADMK Legal Wing told PTI that “our cadres will be in the campus round-the-clock on shift basis where the EVMs and VVPAT were stored”.
Stating that all the entry and exit points will be monitored thoroughly, he said strong rooms will be guarded till counting starts on May 4.
“We have also ensured pure drinking water facilities and food supply to our cadres, who will be ensuring the safety of EVMs and VVPATs,” G Venkatesan, a senior DMK functionary of Pallavaram constituency in Chennai said.
He said that the party workers, who will be “on duty” near the strong rooms, were given ID cards. “We have also instructed our cadres to be friendly with other political parties’ functionaries so that there will be smooth monitoring activities”, he added.
Election Commision (EC) sources here said that the strong rooms have been sealed in the presence of political party representatives and election observers with required documentation and video recording. Besides deploying armed forces, CCTV cameras have been installed in all the strong rooms across the state and they would be monitored round the clock.
A senior official said that the state election authorities have given permission with certain terms and conditions for the representatives of the political parties to keep vigil on the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored.
Elections to 234 Assembly segments in Tamil Nadu were held on Thursday.
The DMK, which heads the Secular Progressive Alliance, is seeking to retain power, and is leading a multi-party coalition that includes Congresss, Left parties and the VCK.
The AIADMK, heading the National Democratic Alliance, on the other hand, is pushing for a return to power with allies BJP, AMMK and PMK, among others, in tow.
Actor Vijay-led TVK is attempting to break the decades long tradition of DMK and AIADMK alternatively ruling the state and form its government.
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