KANNIYAKUMARI: A container vehicle carrying sewing machines intended for a government welfare scheme arrived at the Kanniyakumari collectorate on Monday, triggering objections from the BJP and its alliance parties.
According to sources, the BJP and allied parties, who were present for the randomisation of EVMs, questioned the timing of the consignment’s arrival. They urged election officials to open the container and seal it, citing concerns over transparency during the election period. Following their protest, officials opened the container for inspection.
Official sources clarified that the Social Welfare Department had issued orders on February 28 for the procurement of sewing machines for beneficiaries across Tamil Nadu, and the machines were purchased on March 2.
A total of 482 sewing machines, along with tables and accessories, were received for Kanniyakumari. The items were subsequently handed over to election authorities and secured in a room at the collectorate.
Sources also noted that similar consignments had been dispatched to four other districts.
Earlier in the day, the first randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs for the constituencies — Kanniyakumari, Nagercoil, Colachel, Padmanabhapuram, Vilavancode, and Killiyoor — was conducted at the district collectorate. General Observers, including P. Aboobacker Siddique, Priyanka Basu, Om Prakash Rai, Subhasree Nanda, Manoj Kumar, and District Election Officer R. Alagumeena, were present during the proceedings.