The DMK submitted a complaint to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo on Friday alleging that the State machinery was being abused and misused by the ruling party in the run-up to the bypoll to the Vikravandi Assembly constituency and sought steps to be taken by the Election Commission to prevent misuse of power.
In the representation, DMK organising secretary R.S. Bharathi said 70 polling booths in the constituency were found to be vulnerable. “They are required to be monitored by the Election Commission deeply on the polling day from the commencement of polling till the process is completed, to ensure free and fair election,” the party said. He sought deployment of adequate paramilitary forces to the vulnerable polling booths charging that there was a possibility of booth capturing to unleash violence by the ruling party’s cadre and “anti-social elements brought from outside the constituency, in collusion with the police”.
Mr. Bharathi wanted live telecast of the election process in the vulnerable booths, through webcasting to enable political parties, candidates and the public to watch the proceedings. “More number of CCTVs shall be installed in those vulnerable polling booths than ordinary booths and the entire process shall be recorded,” he said.
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He urged the EC to watch the movement of anti-socials, and alleged that the AIADMK cadre were distributing unauthorised booth slips. The party urged the EC to ensure that all outsiders were sent out after 6 p.m. on October 19.