Chennai: Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta told reporters on Saturday that video cameras would be installed in all polling booths the Madurai West Assembly constituency. They would be operated by paramilitary personnel.
Security arrangements
Of the six paramilitary companies deployed in the constituency, five would be stationed in polling booths and the remaining one would move around sensitive areas.
A jawan each would be posted at the door of each polling station. The area commander would move around the constituency.
Five paramilitary companies would leave the constituency after the election is over. The remaining company would be retained till counting is over.
Patrol parties
Regarding allegations of distribution of money to voters by political parties, Mr. Gupta said unless there were specific complaints with evidence it would be difficult to take action. But, the Commission did not want to take any chances.
The Collector and the observers had employed patrol parties to keep a watch. There was definite improvement in the situation though there were minor incidents.
Mr. Gupta said the transfer of police personnel, posting of independent observers and deployment of paramilitary personnel had been done to ensure a free and fair election.
He said the Commission had every right to reschedule the election if it found that the situation was not conducive for a free and fair election.
There were precedents of byelections being postponed. In 1993 bypolls at Ranipet in Tamil Nadu and Kalka in Haryana were postponed.
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