3 polling staff suspended for entering poll records room

Three polling staff who violated the election code by entering a storage room here where polling records are kept, along with a woman Tahsildar, were suspended Monday by Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo.

The Tahsildar was suspended Sunday by by Sahoo after a detailed inquiry into the incident.

The inquiry was ordered on a complaint by CPI(M) candidate in Madurai Lok Sabha seat, S Venkatesan on Saturday, who had also insisted that CCTV footage be shown to him.

District Collector Natarajan, who acceded to the request, also viewed the footage, which showed the officials entering the room and trying to take xerox copies of documents.

The CEO suspended the officials on the recommendations of the Collector, who had submitted a report to him.

Officials reiterated that the room where EVMs had been kept had been sealed and under 24-hour surveillance and none entered that room.

The document room had not been sealed but as per rules no body can enter it also without permission, they said.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Electoral officer Balaji began an enquiry Monday into the incident, officials said.

They said he would camp in Madurai and hold enquiries not only with the poll staff and security personnel, but the candidates as well.

The CEO had deputed the ACEO to conduct the enquiry.

Meanwhile Venkatesan demanded removal of the collector alleging the official's complicity in the incident.

Addressing reporters here, he accused poll authorities of sitting on his complaint for a long time and said it had happened with the knowledge of the Returning Officer
Venkatesan said he has given a representation to Balaji, urging that the Collector be removed