Increase security cover at polling booths, DMK urges EC

In a petition addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and submitted to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, DMK organising secretary R S Bharati has also asked the commission to make necessary arrangements to set up separate polling booths in areas where schedule caste (SC) people are residing.

The separate polling booths, the petition said, would “enable SCs to cast their votes without fear and without any compulsion. Else, the EC should provide all facilities to ensure that their votes shall be polled only by them freely without any control over them by any political party agents.”

The principal opposition party also sought to provide live video stream – webcasting and recording of poll process from its commencement till the sealing of controlling unit, polling unit and VVPATs in the booths. It also demanded the appointment of a micro-observer for each polling booth which faces a re-poll and polling station officials to monitor the entire polling process, including strict verification of the identity of the voters.

The DMK also sought for the appointment of new set of polling officials in all cadre, replacing officials who were deputed in the previous election. The party has urged the commission to strictly prevent the polling agents of the respective candidates from contacting the voters in any manner during the polling inside the polling centres in all the 46 locations going for re-poll.

The party has also asked the commission not to allow any persons except the authorised polling agents inside the prohibited 200 meters from the polling stations and “take all preventive measures to ensure free and fair election in the polling booths which face a re-poll.”