CHENNAI: The DMK on Friday submitted a representation with the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Tamil Nadu, and Chief Secretary of the State over the CEO’s instructions on counting postal ballots in the State.
Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi submitted a representation in which he stated that the CEO has issued a letter to all District Election Officers and all Returning Officers of Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The letter instructs that the penultimate round of EVM counting should be taken up only after completion of postal ballot counting. Accordingly, the EVM counting can go on irrespective of the stage of postal ballot counting.
Once the EVM counting is completed, the VVPAT slips counting can start as per the prescribed procedure for counting VVPAT slips. Bharathi added that the new instructions would create confusion since EVM counting is allowed to be completed without completing the counting of postal ballots, and that it will pave way for malpractice.
He further urged that in light of these apparent difficulties, the ECI should issue a clarification letter elaborating the process to all District Election Officers and Returning Officers.