Election Integrity Questioned After Kerala EVM Room Incident

In a move to maintain electoral integrity, Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer has issued stringent directions to election officers against opening any strong rooms or unsealed rooms at counting centres before the counting day. This directive follows reports of an unauthorized room access in Kozhikode's Perambra constituency.

Responding to the incident, Congress leader K Muraleedharan voiced concerns over the proximity of material rooms to strong rooms, suggesting potential tampering with the electoral process. The United Democratic Front (UDF) demands a thorough investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, district officials have clarified that the reports of strong room breaches are false, emphasizing that standard procedures were followed in opening a room for data preparation, without accessing EVMs. The counting of votes from the April 9 Assembly polls will commence on May 4.