MADURAI: DMK candidate from Tiruparankundram byelection constituency Dr P Saravanan raised serious doubts over a security breach in the strongroom established inside Madurai Government Medical College Hospital on Tuesday. However, he was later convinced with the explanation given by Collector cum District Election Officer S Nagarajan.
In his petition to District Election Officer, Saravanan said that at 3.15 pm on Tuesday, he had seen returning officer for Tiruparankundram assembly constituency Panchavarnam placing some electronic gadgets including computer within 100m of the strongroom. When he sought explanation from Panchavarnam, as placing electronic gadgets within 100m of strong room is in violation of rules stipulated by election commission, she said that the gadgets were placed in the spot for internet connectivity.
In his complaint to the district election officer, Saravanan said that he believed that placing electronic gadgets near strongroom would help in tampering with voting machines.
“Even the security officer on duty was not objecting to the move,” he said in his complaint and requested DEO Nagarajan to remove the internet connectivity and electronic devices from the spot. However, after the DEO explained him the purpose of internet connectivity and electronic gadgets including computers during counting, Saravanan was convinced.