Jaya invokes PC poll manipulation again

She alleged a mismatch between figures recorded by her partys counting agents and those actually entered on Form 20. The data entry operators,at the behest of the ruling DMK,entered votes polled by AIADMK candidate R S Raja Kannappan in favour of Chidambaram on Form 20,said Jaya. The discrepancy was with figures from 11 booths in the Alangudi Assembly segment,she alleged.

A petition challenging the election of Chidambaram is pending before the Madras High Court.

Jaya urged the EC to appoint operators of integrity and verify their credentials beforehand. One counting agent of the parties should be permitted to be present when the votes counted are entered on Form 20 this time,she said; also,the returning officers and observers should ensure that the votes recorded by the officials at the time of counting match the entries made by the data entry operators.

Jaya and her party have made several complaints to the EC this season,leading to allegations from the DMK that poll officials are biased. DMK president M Karunanidhi had accused the officials of the EC,which had taken tough measures,of behaving as if the state was under Emergency.

Chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar stressed the EC it is not biased against any party. Only rules and regulations are being implemented, Kumar said. With PTI inputs