Collector M. S. Shanmugham and Superintendent of Police K. A. Senthil Velan on Friday inspected the centres to be set up in Thanjavur and Pattukottai for counting votes for Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru, Orathanadu, Pattukottai and Peravurani Assembly constituencies.
"We checked the security and safety aspects, and basic amenities to be provided at the centres," the Collector said. There are eight segments in the district: Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru, Orathanadu, Pattukottai, Peravurani, Kumbakonam, Papanasam and Thiruvidaimaruthur.
Centres are to be set up revenue division wise in Thanjavur, Pattukottai and Kumbakonam.
For Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru and Orathanadu segments, votes would be counted at Kundavai Nachiyar Government Arts College for Women in Thanjavur. The Collector and SP inspected the college. Later, they visited the Regional Rural Development Training Institute complex at Pattukottai where votes for Pattukottai segment would be counted and Government Boys Higher Secondary School at Pattukottai where votes for Peravurani segment would be counted.
A few days ago, both of them inspected the Government Arts College and Little Flower Higher Secondary School at Kumbakonam where votes for Kumbakonam, Papanasam and Thiruvidaimaruthur segments would be counted.
Nagapattinam
First level checking of electronic voting machines (EVMs) was undertaken in the presence of all political parties, at the Collectorate on Friday. Over 1,600 control units and 2,150 ballot units have been brought from Uttar Pradesh to Nagapattinam.
According to Shanmugasundaram, Election Officer, the process undertaken as per the directions of the Election Commission of India, involved testing the EVMs by test-casting 1,000 votes in each machine and to ensure functionality of each of 16 buttons representing 16 candidates.
“Each vote takes about 20 to 25 seconds to be recorded. Test-casting of 1,000 votes would produce a printout that is affixed with the seal, signalling completion of the first level testing and endorsed by the engineers,” says the Election Officer.
The EVMs were subject to technical tests with the help of engineers from Bharath Electronics Limited, Bangalore.
