Jaya demands sufficient safeguards during counting of votes

Chennai: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday demanded that the Election Commission take "sufficient safeguards" including deploying Central paramilitary forces during counting of votes on May 13 and videograph the entire process.

"The Election Commission is requested to deploy paramilitary forces at all counting centres in Tamil Nadu in order to ensure that law and order is maintained from the commencement of counting of votes till the declaration of election is made by the Returning Officers.

"Paramilitary forces may be deployed to prevent any intruder without a valid identity card from entering the counting centres," she said in a letter addressed to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar.

She demanded that the counting process should commence in the presence of an EC-deputed Observer and "he should be present throughout the counting process till the declaration of election is made by the Returning Officer."

"The entire counting process right from removing of the seal of each EVM till the votes of each EVM are counted must be videographed by the EC in order to prevent any malpractice," she urged.

The Opposition leader said the result of the counting of votes of each round should be displayed on the notice board in the presence of all the candidates.

Voting was held for 234 Assembly constituencies on April 13 and EVMs are stored in strong rooms in 91 counting centres across the state with a four-tier security cover given by both the state police and central paramilitary forces.

Deploy paramilitary forces at counting centres: Jayalalithaa

Chennai: AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa has urged the Election Commission to deploy paramilitary forces at all the vote counting centres in Tamil Nadu on May 13 and videograph the entire process.

The elections to the 234-member state assembly were held April 13.

In a letter to the state's Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar written on Sunday, a copy of which was released to the media Tuesday, Jayalalithaa said: 'The Election Commission is requested to deploy paramilitary forces at all the counting centres in the state of Tamil Nadu in order to ensure that law and order is maintained from the commencement of counting of votes till the declaration of election is made by the Returning Officers.'

'Paramilitary forces may be deployed to prevent any intruder without a valid identity card from entering the counting centres,' she said.

'The entire counting process, right from the removing of the seal of each EVM (electronic voting machine) till the votes of each EVM are counted must be videographed by the Election Commission in order to prevent any malpractice,' the letter said.

According to Jayalalithaa, the counting process should commence in the presence of an observer deputed by the Election Commission.

'He should be present throughout the counting process till the declaration of election is made by the returning officer,' she said.

Jayalalithaa said the results should be displayed in the presence of all candidates at the end of each round of counting and only after that should the next round of counting begin.