Coimbatore: Following the polling on Thursday, sealed electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units were transported to strong rooms established at the Government College of Technology (GCT) on Thadagam Road here. The GCT, designated as the storage and counting center, is now under a three-tier security cover involving Central Armed Police Forces and Tamil Nadu state police.
Security Measures at GCT
According to Election Commission of India protocols, no unauthorized personnel are allowed near the strong rooms until counting day. The fate of candidates remains sealed under 24-hour surveillance until votes are counted on May 4. The entire campus is monitored by a high-definition CCTV network. District Collector and District Election Officer Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar stated, "Live feeds from these cameras are being provided to representatives of political parties at a designated viewing area on the college premises." He inspected and sealed the strong rooms on Friday.
Repoll Ruled Out
The collector dismissed the possibility of a repoll in Coimbatore South constituency when asked about AIADMK candidate Amman K Arjunan's demand for the Election Commission to cancel the poll there. The AIADMK candidate alleged that DMK candidate V Senthilbalaji had distributed large sums of money to voters. The collector said, "The democratic process in all 10 constituencies was smooth and peaceful."
Voter Turnout Highlights
The district recorded an impressive overall voter turnout of 84.76% in this election. Key turnout figures include Sulur at 88.31%, Pollachi at 88.09%, Thondamuthur at 87.50%, and Kinathukadavu at 87.11%. The collector highlighted the enthusiastic participation of voters, noting that several constituencies crossed the 87% mark.
EVMs Stored in Tirupur District
In Tirupur district, EVMs and VVPATs from eight assembly constituencies were transported to LRG Government Arts College for Women on Palladam Road and stored in strong rooms in the presence of candidates, their representatives, and Election Commission-appointed central observers. The entire process was videographed as per Election Commission guidelines. The strong rooms are protected by armed security personnel. Deputy collector-level officials have been appointed as district monitoring officers, while deputy tahsildars and tahsildars oversee security at the constituency level. The district recorded an overall voter turnout of 88.52%.
Nilgiris District Storage
In the Nilgiris district, polled EVMs and VVPATs from all three constituencies — Udhagamandalam, Gudalur, and Coonoor — have been stored at Government Polytechnic College in Udhagamandalam under heavy security. The district recorded a voter turnout of 78.90%.
