A Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera installed outside one of the strong rooms containing ballot boxes and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines used in the Erode Parliamentary constituency, malfunctioned for an hour at the Government College of Engineering (formerly I.R.T.T) in Chithode in the late hours of Sunday.
District Election Officer and Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, who inspected the counting centre on Monday, told media persons that one of the cameras installed outside a strong room developed a snag at 11.30 p.m. on Sunday. “The snag was rectified by technicians within an hour,” he said and added that all other CCTV cameras outside the particular strong room were functioning normally. Since CCTV cameras are electronic devices, problems occur unexpectedly, he said, adding that only quality cameras have been installed.
Explaining the security aspects on the premises, Mr. Raja Gopal Sunkara stated that a three-tier security system is implemented at the strong rooms and is being inspected by G. Jawahar, District Election Officer and Superintendent of Police. Additionally, a total of 221 cameras have been installed at the center, with 48 of them outside the strong rooms, where the EVMs used in the six Assembly constituencies are stored. The Collector further informed that eight cameras are placed in front of each strong room and all cameras are connected to a control room. Political party representatives can also monitor the camera feeds. Monitoring will continue until June 4, and the CCTV footage will be stored for three months, the Collector added.
