The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has recommended to the Election Commission re-polling in 10 booths in three districts, including in Nathamedu in Dharmapuri, where polling was vitiated on April 18. The date for re-polling will be announced later.
“We have recommended to the Election Commission to conduct re-polling in 10 polling booths — eight places in Pappireddipatti, one in Tiruvallur and one near Cuddalore after comparing the diary of a presiding officer and general observers,” Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters in Chennai on Sunday.
Two booths in Government High School in Ayyampatti, four in Government Higher Secondary School in Nathamedu and two booths in Panchayat Union Elementary School in Jallipudur will go for re-polling for the Pappireddipatti bypoll as well as election for the Dharmapuri Parliamentary constituency. The Hindu had exposed electoral malpractices in Nathamedu, where the presiding officer said she was threatened by some persons.
In Tiruvallur district, the Panchayat Union Elementary School in Mettupalayam located in the Poonamallee Assembly constituency will go for re-polling for byelection as well as general election.
The Municipal High School at Thiruvathigai in the Panruti Assembly segment of the Cuddalore Lok Sabha constituency too will go for re-polling, he said.
While there were claims of booth capturing in some places at Nathamedu in Dharmapuri district, there were issues related to Electronic Voting Machines at Thiruvathigai in Panruti in Cuddalore district on the day of polling.
Following the Chief Electoral Officer seeking information on the complaint of the missing of a large number of names of voters in the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha constituency, the District Election Officer has informed the CEO that a Sub Collector would be tasked to look into the complaint and file a report, Mr. Sahoo said.
