Screen casting CCTV footage from strong room in Erode malfunctions
A television screen casting the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage installed at a strong room containing ballot boxes and voter veriable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines used in the Erode Parliamentary constituency, malfunctioned for two hours and was then rectied, at the Government College of Engineering in Chithode on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
At 7 a.m., election ocials found that the screen displaying footage from the cameras installed at the strong room, where the machines used in the Kumarapalayam Assembly constituency were kept, had malfunctioned at the control room.
M. Sathish Kumar, the Assistant Returning Ocer and Revenue Divisional Ocer of Erode, along with representatives of candidates, inspected the room and found that the cameras were functioning correctly and recording footage.
The monitor installed outside the strong room was also displaying the footage
‘Faulty connection’
The reason for the malfunction was traced to a faulty connection line between the strong room and the control room at the administrative block.
The technicians rectied the fault and the normal functioning was restored. The candidates’ representatives were informed about the fault and its rectication.
It may be recalled that a camera installed outside one of the strong rooms malfunctioned for an hour, late on Sunday, April 28, and was rectied by technicians.
Report sought
District Election Ocer and Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara has asked the vendor to inspect the CCTV cameras and its functioning and submit a report at the earliest. He had also asked the vendor to take necessary steps to prevent any further issues.
Ballot boxes and VVPATs used in the six Assembly constituencies in Erode Parliamentary constituency: Kumarapalayam, Erode (East), Erode (West), Modakkurichi, Dharapuram and Kangeyam have been kept at the counting centre and a three-tier security system is in place here.