By IANS,
Chennai : AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa has urged the Election Commission to deploy paramilitary forces at all the vote counting centres in Tamil Nadu 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 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.