Strongroom breach has eroded public confidence: EC

“The incident has created a dent and serious apprehension in the minds of public, media, candidates and political parties,” Satyabrata Sahoo, Chief Electoral Officer said through a counter filed in the plea by CPI-M candidate Su Venkatesan, seeking a probe by a Special Investigation Team.

Sahoo said the lapse shows the need for substantial improvement in the coordination between the police and the district administration.

“For counting and results, one additional counting observer from the state civil service in the rank of additional magistrate will be appointed to report to the general observer for the constituency,” Sahoo said.

Senior counsel ARL Sundaresan, appearing for Natarajan, submitted it was only the assistant returning officer who instructed the tahsildar to visit the room which was under his custody without obtaining prior permission from the returning officer.

Claiming that he was facing action for no fault on his part, Natarajan submitted that even the additional chief electoral officer who conducted an inquiry into the incident did not get any explanation from him.

“He had not been given fair opportunities to know the statements of others and to defend the allegations against him,” Sundaresan said.

Similarly, M Rajasekaran, PA (General) to the Madurai Collector, who was alleged to have instructed the ARO to send the tahsildar to visit the room, moved an impleading petition claiming that he has no role in the election works as it was handled by a separate designated PA. “My name has been included in the issue and action has been ordered by mistake,” he said.