Future in store, political parties keep vigil outside strong rooms

CHENNAI: As the Election Commission shifted EVMs to the strong rooms following polling on April 23, political parties, including the ruling DMK and the AIADMK, have decided to maintain 24/7 shift-based vigil at the designated centres.

Ahead of the May 4 counting of polled votes, the poll panel has shifted the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) to the strong rooms.

Though multiple security systems, including the central armed police force and Tamil Nadu special police teams, were in place, political parties have deployed their cadres to ensure the safety of EVMs.

RM Babu Murugavel, Joint Secretary, AIADMK Legal Wing, confirmed that the party cadre will be in the campus round-theclock on a shift basis where the EVMs and VVPAT were stored.

“We have also ensured drinking water facilities and food supply to our cadre, who will be ensuring the safety of EVMs and VVPATs,” said G Venkatesan, a senior DMK functionary of Pallavaram constituency.

He added that the party workers, who will be “on duty” near the strong rooms, were given ID cards. “We have also instructed our cadre to be friendly with other political parties’ functionaries so that there will be smooth monitoring activities “, he added.

Election Commission (EC) sources here said that the strong rooms have been sealed in the

presence of political party representatives and election observers with the 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 granted permission, subject to certain terms and conditions, for representatives of political parties to keep vigil on the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored.