Chandrababu Naidu demands CCTVs at counting centres in Kuppam

Amaravati/Chittoor: TDP national president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to mandatorily set up CCTV cameras at all polling and counting centres for preventing 'outside miscreants' from committing election violations in the Kuppam Assembly constituency.

Naidu wrote a letter to the SEC, saying that it came to their party notice about the arrival of a large number of outsiders with a dubious record into all places of the Kuppam constituency. They were suspected to have come to create violence and disturb the panchayat elections in order to help the ruling YSRCP.

The TDP chief demanded that non-stop video recording should be ensured throughout the polling and counting process in the Kuppam segment on Wednesday. This should be done as per the SEC circulars issued on February 13 and 15. The High Court's orders in writ petition 3660/2021 dated 16.02.2021 shall be implemented strictly.

Naidu pointed out that the outsiders have come in cars and vehicles and checked into hotels and lodges in the Kuppam constituency. All of them should be identified and they should be evicted urgently. Such strong measures were needed to ensure a free and fair election there. Also, additional security forces should be posted to prevent threats and violent incidents at all the polling and counting centres till the election process would be over.

Naidu pointed out that he had already written two letters about the movement of anti-social elements and encroachers in Kuppam areas since the elections began. The ruling party's outside miscreants have come with plans to threaten and demoralise the TDP candidates and sympathisers. The photos of these anti-social elements along with the vehicles of the YSRCP leaders were being submitted to the State Election Commission along with this representation, he said.