R K Nagar: EC brings in five more observers, shifts officers en masse

CHENNAI: The Election Commission on Saturday ordered the transfer of all assistant returning officers and below, police officers of the rank of additional commissioner and inspector and corporation assistant engineers and executive engineers in RK Nagar constituency.
The transfers came after a team of senior Election Commission officers, deputed on March 30 to review the preparedness of the state election machinery, submitted a report to the commission, an official release said.
The EC deputed another five observers and deployed micro observers who can help by moving through small lanes on motor bikes. It also ordered installation of cameras on all streets to monitor movement, mapping of all roads leading into the constituency and setting up check posts.
The commission also deployed additional flying squads, increasing their number to 10, who will work 24x7 in three shifts. The GPS-enabled squads will be manned by central government employees .
On April 12, polling day, all polling stations will be covered by central forces and will have web-casting within and outside. Proceedings outside the booths can be seen by the general public. Services of IAS/IPS probationers from the state will be used and officers at the level of tahsildars/deputy collectors familiar with Tamil will be requisitioned from neighbouring Aandhra Pradesh and Kerala. Three companies of central forces, each comprising 80 personnel, have been deployed and seven more companies are expected in the coming week.
The commission has also issued special instructions to the effect that no government vehicle belonging to any department, political leader, or minister be allowed to move in the constituency and vehicles subjected to check without any hesitation.
There will be daily press briefings by the district election officer and commissioner of police to inform the media of the arrangements made, action taken in regard to complaints and so on.
The observers of the commission will also interact with leaders of the political parties/candidates on a daily basis.
AIADMK (Amma) spokesperson C R Saraswathi on Saturday alleged that she and her supporters were attacked by the rival O Panneerselvam camp while campaigning at R K Nagar constituency. Saraswathi alleged that footwear, stones and bottles were hurled at her when she was about to address a roadside meeting from atop her four-wheeler. The AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) team, including former chief minister O Panneerselvam and their candidate E Madhusudhanan, were passing through the route after canvassing for votes. OPS faction, however, has denied the charge.