On eve of counting, TRS expresses confidence in EVMs

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, May 22

In a significant development on the eve of counting of votes, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has taken a divergent stand on EVMs from 22 opposition parties, expressing  confidence in the fairness of the EVMs. The move assumes significance after reports that the TRS was being approached by the UPA to support it to keep NDA from forming the government.

Although the statement has come from middle-level politician, MLC Palla Rajeswara Reddy, clubbed with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s (KCR) remarks saying he would go to Delhi “only if the NDA does not get the numbers”,  it assumes particular significance, given that KCR has lately been rally support for a “non-Congress, non-BJP” federal front.

Reddy said: “We do not have any doubts over the EVMs. Earlier we had some doubts, but the ECI clarified them and are now convinced about their fairness. We have won some elections and lost some with these EVMs”.

The statement comes amid reports of overtures to KCR from NCP chief Sharad Pawar, whop’s supposedly trying to woo him over to the UPA’s side to keep BJP out of power. If this statement is to be taken with some seriousness, it only indicates that Pawar may not have succeeded in his efforts.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Karnataka Janta Dal (S) leaders HD Deve Gowda and his chief minister son HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Tuesday night and discussed the post result scenario with them. They are also believed to have discussed ways to thwart BJP’s moves to destabilise the JD(S)-led government in the state.       

Meanwhile, taking no chances of any law and order violation, the state police will deploy 10,000 police personnel “for bandobust duty on May 23” while the counting of votes is on. This will be in addition to the security agencies already guarding strong rooms and their vicinity where electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs) are stored.

Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) Jitender said that all arrangements are fool proof and there will be zero tolerance to any “unscrupulous elements” trying to disturb the peaceful counting of votes. Section 144 CRPC prohibiting movement of five or more persons has been put in place within 100 meters of the counting centres for Thursday.

Telangana’s 17 Parliamentary constituencies votes on April 11 in 34,603 polling stations and another 18,526 polling locations peacefully. The EVMs and VVPATs have been stored in 123 strong rooms at 37 locations under 16 special police units.

The ADGP said no victory processions were permitted without specific permission from the competent authority.

“We request all political parties and candidates to cooperate in this regard,” he said. He disclosed that a three-tier security cover has been provided for safeguarding strong rooms as per guidelines of the Election Commission (EC).

Earlier in the day Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar said that all arrangements had been completed for quick and transparent counting of votes that will begin at 8 am. He said two counting halls with 36 tables have been setup for each assembly segment. Postal ballots would be counted first and then after the EVMs as per the guidelines of the ECI five VVPATS will be tallied with the EVMs per constituency. In all about 6745 personnel have been deployed for the counting process.

Strict instructions have been issued not to announce the results at the table level as results would be announced by the designated officer only.