Entire counting must be covered by CCTV: DMK

The plea moved by the party’s organisation secretary, R S Bharathi, sought for a direction to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) to take all effective steps to ensure that the process of counting of votes for the current rural civic election strictly complies with the provisions in Part VI of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Election) Rules, 1995.

It further submitted that in many places, the ruling AIADMK party, by abusing its power, was inducting officials to act in support of the ruling party’s candidates and that their supporters were indulging in various electoral malpractices. “There is panic in the minds of candidates and political parties as to whether the election and the counting would be conducted in a proper manner. Unless the officials can work in a free and fair manner, the election results would not be proper. It would ultimately cause serious damage to democratic election process,” the plea said.

The plea also noted that one of the Ministers belonging to the AIADMK instigated their cadre to attack DMK workers during the electoral process. In Edappadi area in Salem district, AIADMK candidates with their supporters illegally distributed money to the voters, it said. Based on this, the DMK had made representations to the SEC. Similarly, representations to the respective District Collectors were also submitted on December 24, but no action was taken, it contended.

Another plea moved by the Salem wing of the DMK, citing various malpractices, sought the installation of CCTV cameras in strong rooms and a LED display outside the room with uninterrupted power supply to prevent malpractices. It also sought for security to the voting boxes before and after the election schedule.

Pleas with similar prayers have been moved by the Congress and the VCK. All pleas are set to be taken up for hearing on December 30 when the vacation bench isscheduled to sit.