BJP and CPM threatened to boycott the counting as some EVMs were found without the mandatory seal
BJP and CPM booth agents boycott the counting process alleging that the EVMs did not have seals at Government College of Technology in Coimbatore. (Photo: DC/File)
Coimbatore: Tense moments prevailed at the counting centre at Government College of Technology in Coimbatore on Monday as the Opposition BJP and CPM threatened to boycott the counting as some electronic voting machines (EVMs) were found without the mandatory seal.
As the counting entered the 12th round, the counting agents of the BJP and CPM rose in protest, claiming that EVMs from ward 93 (south zone) were not sealed. "Even at the start of the fourth round, we found an EVM without a seal and raised objections. However, the election staff continued the counting process after video recording it. They simply went on with their counting without paying heed to our complaint," said BJP agent P. Manikandan.
The irate booth agents then walked out of the counting room, demanding a re-poll, when deputy commissioner of police Pravesh Kumar intervened and instructed them not to shout slogans in the counting centre. The booth agents returned to the counting desks after election officials asked them to register their grievance with the Election Commission.
BJP mayoral candidate R. Nandakumar said lack of a seal in EVMs gave room for strong suspicion of rigging. "There were no seals, particularly in EVMs brought from the south zone. When we sought a clarification, the election officials claimed that once an EVM is switched off, votes cannot be polled again. Then, why should they be guarded so intensively," he queried.
The BJP has decided to file a petition with the state election commission against EVMs without a seal. Corporation deputy commissioner P. Gandhimathi said Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) engineers had checked the EVMs and confirmed that there was no fault in them, when the issue cropped up.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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