Chennai: TVK election campaign management general secretary Aadhav Arjuna on Saturday petitioned chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik, urging the Election Commission to strengthen security arrangements in and around the 62 counting centres ahead of counting on May 4 to prevent unlawful activities and ensure safety of party candidates and agents.In his petition, Arjuna said his party’s office in the Srirangam constituency in Trichy district was set on fire by anti-social elements on Friday. They have also received information that such vandalism is being planned with an ulterior motive to disturb peaceful counting, he alleged. The anti-social elements are also planning to prevent TVK candidates and counting centre agents from discharging their duties on counting day, said Arjuna.Hence, the party sought the intervention of ECI to prevent unlawful activities in and around the 62 counting centres and to ensure safety of party candidates and functionaries engaged in election work, he said. The CEO should issue directions to officials to deploy sufficient armed police protection across the state, he said.
