Tamil Nadu’s CEO’s dubious move

In a bizzare move, the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Satyabrata Sahoo, moved a bunch of Electronic Voting Machines and VVPATs from Coimbatore district to Theni district, 20 days after the close of the election, without any notice to political parties. The opposition political parties condemned the “secretive manoeuvre” of the CEO and have demanded an explanation from him. They also laid siege to the Tehsildar office in Theni.

Satyabrata Sahoo has remained defiant and gave an explanation to the media on May 7 evening which only raised more suspicions in the minds of the opposition candidates. “So far 50 EVM ballot units have been shifted from Coimbatore to Theni and 20 unused VVPATs moved from Coimbatore to Erode,” he told presspersons in response to a question on Tuesday. He offered a strange explanation for the move: “These ballot units may be put to use if re-poll is ordered in any booth,” he said. No such re-poll has been ordered as on May 8 afternoon.

“Without announcing the dates for re-polls, the EC should not move the EVMs,” said T.K.S. Elangovan, organisation secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He wanted to know why there was talk of re-polls in Theni when no political party in the State, including the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), had demanded it. “When no political parties have demanded re-polls, why are the EVMs being shifted,” he asked.

Sahoo revealed to presspersons on May 8 that there were problems in as many as 46 booths across 13 districts. This was kept a secret from everyone, including political parties, since the close of the polls on April 18. The candidates in Theni, including the E.V.K.S. Elangovan of the Congress and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AMMK) Thanga Tamilselvan, are demanding an explanation from the CEO.

Political observers find it strange that the Tamil Nadu CEO has not heeded to demands for re-poll in places where there have been actual problems. “The people of Ponparappi had demanded a re-poll but there was no use,” said senior journalist “Tharasu” Shyam in a twitter post after this strange incident came to light. “There have been demands for a re-poll in at least 10 booths in Dharmapuri and Tiruvallur. More than three weeks later, there has been no decision on this too,” he added.