KARUR: Expressing doubts whether the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha seats and the by-elections to the State Assembly in Tamil Nadu would be done in a proper way, the State CPI(M) secretary, Mr K Balakrishnan said they did not have confidence in the chief electoral officer (CEO) Sri Satyabrata Sahoo in discharging his official duty.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Balakrishnan said there was even confusion over the re-polling ordered in some booths on the last phase of the polling on May 19, along with the four pending Assembly by-elections. Initially, the CEO said there would be re-polling in 45 booths, but now he has announced that re-polling will be taken up only in 13 booths.
He charged the EC with “creating one confusion after another”, raising doubts whether the counting process would be smooth on May 23. The Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami and the Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam seem to be justifying the EC’s decision, which raised other doubts, the Marxist leader said.
Mr. Balakrishnan demanded that the CEO of Tamil Nadu should be transferred and that EC should appoint special observers not only for overseeing the counting process in the state on May 23 and declaration of the election results, but also for the likely imminent change of Government in Tamil Nadu.
