CHENNAI: The DMK has sought the Election Commission of India to ensure additional measures to double the strength of paramilitary personnel to be deployed for poll duty, and ensure free and fair re-polling in 13 polling stations in Tamil Nadu on May 19.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo here on Saturday, the DMK organisation secretary and Rajya Sabha MP, R. S. Bharathi, demanded doubling the paramilitary personnel deployment in all the polling booths that will go to the re-poll.
The DMK also wanted “arrangements to locate separate polling booths where Scheduled Caste people are residing, to enable them to cast their votes without fear and compulsion,” he said.
It should be ensured the Scheduled Caste people voted freely without any "control," by any "political party agents," the senior leader said in the memorandum, which was also sent to the Chief Election Commissioner in Delhi. In Dharmapuri LS segment, it was alleged that agents of a political party had cast the votes of elderly people on April 18. The party also demanded steps like live video streaming and recording of poll process from its commencement till the sealing of EVMs and VVPATs.
Appointing micro-observers in all booths, strict verification of voters’ identity, replacing officials who were deployed on April 18 with new officers, preventing polling agents from contacting voters inside the polling centres were among the other demands.
“Take all preventive measures to ensure free and fair by-polls without any kind of electoral malpractices,” the party urged.
The Election Commission had days ago announced re-polls in 13 polling stations in Tamil Nadu.
