Chennai
“We are in communication with the Election Commission, state health department and political parties in this regard. Whether a corona negative certificate is mandatory or not for candidates and polling agents will be finalised in a couple of days,” CEO Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters after a review meeting here on Friday hinting at more restrictions during the counting of votes.
With several CRPF and police personnel on poll duty testing positive for COVID, the EC had also instructed the district collectors to conduct RT-PCR tests on CRPF personnel where the incidence of coronavirus infection is prevalent. The poll officials on Friday also discussed increasing the counting space area to ensure more tables are deployed and the votes are counted at the earliest. The counting of postal votes will start at 8 am and by 8.30 the EVM machine votes will be counted.
Puthiya Tamilagam objects counting of votes
Meanwhile, Puthiya Tamilagam party leader K Krishnaswamy alleged that the electoral democracy has been murdered in Tamil Nadu and said that the political parties have purchased the votes. “Cash for votes ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 was distributed to voters and the poll officials failed to check the offence. We have submitted a memorandum to the CEO Sahoo seeking not to count the votes on May 2 due to cash inducements to voters and let the Governor’s rule continue,” Krishnasamy told reporters.
The results of Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha seat will also be declared on May 2, along with TN, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam Assembly results.
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