In a bid to fortify the integrity of the electoral process, Satybrata Sahoo, the Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, has mandated the installation of additional CCTV cameras outside the sealed doors of every strong room containing polled Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) across the state’s counting centers.Chairing a crucial meeting via video conference from the Secretariat on Thursday, Sahoo emphasized the criticality of bolstering security arrangements at all 39 counting centers. This directive comes in adherence to the guidelines set forth by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the electoral process.
“Apart from the existing CCTV surveillance within the counting centers, it is imperative to install an additional CCTV camera in front of each strong room,” Sahoo underscored, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance.
Instructions have been promptly dispatched to District Electoral Officers (DEOs) to collaborate with the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) to guarantee uninterrupted power supply for the CCTV infrastructure at the counting centers.
Moreover, DEOs have been tasked with ensuring the availability of backup mechanisms, including diesel generators with automatic changeover provisions, UPS backup for strong room CCTV cameras, and stabilizers to mitigate voltage fluctuations. The imperative to install surge protectors and lightning arresters aims to preempt any disruptions in the live feed, as witnessed in a recent incident at a counting center in the Villupuram Parliamentary constituency.
In a gesture towards transparency, Sahoo announced that candidates or their representatives could request to accompany DEOs, ROs, or AROs to the inner perimeter of the strong rooms, facilitating scrutiny and verification of security measures in batches.