COIMBATORE: Following the conclusion of 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 in Coimbatore.
The GCT, serving as the designated storage and counting center, is currently protected by a three-tier security arrangement involving the Central Armed Police Forces and the Tamil Nadu state police. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI) protocols, no unauthorized personnel will be permitted near the strong rooms until the day of counting. The fate of the candidates will remain sealed under round-the-clock surveillance until the votes are counted on May 4.
The entire campus is monitored by a high-definition CCTV network. Live feeds from these cameras are provided to representatives of political parties at a designated viewing area on the college premises, said district collector and district election officer Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, who inspected and sealed the strong rooms on Friday.
The collector dismissed the possibility of a repoll in the Coimbatore South constituency when reporters questioned him about the AIADMK candidate Amman K Arjunan's demand that the Election Commission cancel the poll in Coimbatore South. The AIADMK candidate alleged that DMK candidate V Senthilbalaji had distributed large sums of money to voters. The collector responded, The democratic process in all 10 constituencies was smooth and peaceful.
The district recorded an impressive overall voter turnout of 84.76% in this election. He highlighted the enthusiastic participation of voters, noting that several constituencies crossed the 87% mark. Key turnout figures include Sulur at 88.31%, Pollachi at 88.09%, Thondamuthur at 87.50%, and Kinathukadavu at 87.11%.
The strong rooms are under constant surveillance, and the ECI's protocols are being strictly followed to ensure the integrity of the voting process. Political parties have been given access to monitor the live feeds, ensuring transparency. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, and the results will determine the fate of the candidates in all 10 constituencies of the district.
