HC directive to ECI, Chief Electoral Officer of TN

, Apr 30: Madras High Court today directed Election Commission of India and Chief Electoral Officer,

, respond on two separate petitions by DMK leader T R Baalu, party candidate from Thanjavur, to fit video cameras in all counting tables there and that of Assistant Returning Officer, to record and display live counting and totalling.

The first bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Satish K Agnihotri and Justice M Sathyanarayanan gave this direction when the two petitions filed by Baalu -- one as party candidate of Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituency and another as DMK parliamentary party leader, came up before it. The bench directed ECI counsel G Rajagopalan to file the response within a week and posted the matter for further hearing before the first summer vacation bench.

Officials deployed on poll duty were acting in favour of AIADMK: Petitioner

Alleging that officials and police deployed on poll duty were acting in favour of ruling AIADMK, Baalu, in his first petition, sought a direction to EC to install video cameras in every counting table and ARO's table in Thanjvaur to record and display live counting and totalling of counted votes. In his second petition, he sought a direction to install cameras in all counting centres throughout Tamil Nadu.

In his petitions Baalu sought a direction not to entrust any work on counting and declaration of results to officers against whom DMK have repeatedly levelled charges during the election process. He alleged that none of the complaints given against them were taken seriously, despite repeated reminders.

Baalu also charged that in the name of a farmers' association, a large number of handbills were distributed, which were against the model code of conduct and here too their complaints were not heard. He alleged that the officials were hand in glove with the ruling AIADMK workers.

PTI