Chennai: With a single Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) designed to accommodate names of a maximum of 16 candidates, two of the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu will require three such machines, as more than 40 aspirants are in the fray there for the April 24 Lok Sabha polls.
A total of 845 candidates are fighting the elections, with South Chennai topping the list at 42.
North Chennai has 40 candidates and these are the two Lok Sabha segments where three EVMs have to be used to include the names of all the candidates.
The union territory of Puducherry,where 30 candidates are testing their electoral fortunes, will also require two EVMs.
According to ECI regulations, the ceiling of number of candidates EVMs could hold in a particular constituency is 64 (i.e four EVMs) and once this number is breached, authorities will get back to the traditional paper ballot system.
Further, 28 constituencies will require two EVMs per polling booth in the state. There are around 60,000 polling stations in the state.
According to electoral authorities, a total of 1.05 lakh EVMs were available but the EC has been asked to provide around 10,000 more to overcome shortage.
Till they are opened for counting on May 16,the EVMs will be stored in strong rooms with a two-level security ring. While the inner perimeter will be guarded by Central police forces, their state counterparts will cover the outer ring, officials said.
Round-the-clock video coverage of the strongrooms will be done and all but one entry to the facility will be sealed,they said, adding even if the Observer or any other authorised official has to enter the strong room, they have to sign the register being maintained there while their movement will also be videographed.
Over 5.50 crore voters will decide the fate of 845 candidates from parties like AIADMK, DMK, BJP, Congress and DMDK on April 24.
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