‘Norms violated during counting’

“In a swift reaction to the incident, State BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan met the Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni in Chennai and submitted a petition seeking action on violation of norms during the counting process at Aravakurichi and the treatment meted out to the party candidate at the counting centre. Later speaking to media persons, she said that people have given third place to the BJP even though money played a big role in Aravakurichi. During the counting of votes, there were lot of issues like violation of norms and non-provision of seat for the BJP agent at the counting centre, she alleged. Another condemnable thing was that the counting process was carried out without the presence of the BJP candidate or his agent. Detailing the demands in the petition, the BJP leader said “In Aravakkurichi, the party candidate was sent out of the counting centre and later arrested for condemning the violations and refusal of seat for his agent. In such a situation, the counting should have been suspended. Since, such an action was not resorted to by the officials, the BJP has sought wrong. re -counting of votes in the presence of our party candidate.”