COIMBATORE: With the counting of votes for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections scheduled on May 4, political parties have deployed their agents to keep a strict watch over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs stored in the strongroom at the Government College of Technology (GCT) on Thadagam Road.
The strongroom houses EVMs used in the 10 Assembly constituencies of Coimbatore district. To ensure transparency and prevent any breach of security, parties have stationed their representatives to monitor live CCTV footage round the clock.
On Wednesday, as many as 36 party agents were present during the day shift in a specially erected tent on the campus, where visuals from the CCTV cameras installed inside the strongrooms are continuously screened on large TVs.
Among them, 13 agents belonged to the DMK, 10 from the AIADMK, three each from the BJP and TVK, one from the Congress and the rest from other parties.
Notably, although the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) had nominated agents for all 10 constituencies, none were seen on campus. Agents from other parties reported that NTK representatives have been largely absent since the strongroom was established on April 24.
Candidates from major parties such as DMK, AIADMK, BJP, Congress and TVK have been visiting the premises occasionally, but NTK candidates have not been spotted so far.
According to election norms, each candidate is permitted to appoint up to three agents for strongroom monitoring. Major parties deploy their agents in eight-hour shifts to ensure continuous surveillance. The parties usually bear the cost of food, snacks, tea, travel and other expenses for their agents, who stay in the temporary tents and immediately report any suspicious activity or security lapse to their respective candidates.
C Boobalan (63), a senior DMK agent monitoring for Coimbatore North constituency candidate has been associated with the party for 46 years. Speaking to TNIE, he said he has been working as a strongroom agent since 1996. "I report at 7 am and hand over charge at 7 pm to my co-agent, who takes the night shift. We do this voluntarily for the party," he said, adding that the party supports them whenever needed.
Similarly, KL Swaminathan (53), former district deputy president of the BJP and agent for the party's Coimbatore North candidate, is performing this duty for the seventh time. "This is voluntary service for the party. I have been doing this since 2014 when our leader CP Radhakrishnan contested the Lok Sabha elections from Coimbatore," he recalled.
The story of TVK agents reflects the enthusiasm of first-time participants and personal connections. R Pradeepkumar (39), an entrepreneur and first-time agent for TVK's Coimbatore South constituency candidate has volunteered for the role. A party member from Periya Negamam, he said the candidate is his friend. "My friend Sudalai Mani from Chettipalayam has been on duty since April 24. I handle the day shift while he manages the night shift. We are bearing our own expenses," he said.
Likewise, R Rajkumar (38), a booth agent for the TVK candidate from Sulur, who is also the brother-in-law of the candidate, works as a document writer. "I come during the day shift. My friend M Manikandan (26), a two-wheeler mechanic and TVK member, takes over at night. He has even taken one month's leave from work for election duties," Rajkumar added.
