HYDERABAD: Election officials will take up counting of the voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT), which are being made available at all the polling booths for the first time in Telangana if counting agent of any political party demands the same, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters, he said the election officials would also select one polling booth in every Assembly segment, where the officials would count both VVPATs and EVMs to ensure that both are matched. Rawat said that if any counting agent was not satisfied with EVMs, he can demand the counting of VVPATs.
According to Rawat, the citizen vigil app — cVigil — has received a tremendous response in Telangana. “So far, we have received around 2,500 complaints on poll code violations and most of them are genuine complaints. In Peddapalli district alone, we have received 550 complaints. The officials took action on these complaints,” Rawat saiECd.
Cases against TRS for poll code violation
Rawat said that they had received three specific complaints of poll code violation against TRS party and they would take action in a day or two. So far, 211 paid news cases have come to light as against the total paid news cases of 358 in 2014, he added. ‘Accessible Election’ is the theme of the Election Commission of India (ECI) this year and soon accessible observers would be deployed in the State help the persons with disabilities and others exercise their franchise. “The State government procured 2,000 wheelchairs and directed Panchayats and urban local bodies to procure wheelchairs as per requirements,” Rawat said.
Cops distributing money?
Rawat said that some political parties registered complaints accusing police of distributing money to voters on behalf of some parties. Some political parties complained that the SHE Teams created by the State government were indulging in canvassing for TRS. Some leaders have complained that their phones are being tapped and some political parties complained about the partisan attitude of local officials towards TRS, he added.“We have given necessary directions to the CEO for corrective measures on all these complaints. With regard to phone tapping, the DGP confirmed in writing to CEO that no phone tapping of any political party is being done,” Rawat said.