Lucknow, Mar 7 (IANS): The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have asked their party workers to remain on vigil at the strong rooms where EVMs are kept and also ensure that no tampering is done during counting of votes on March 10.
Samajwadi Party MP Prof Ram Gopal Yadav has written to party president Akhilesh Yadav and copies to all candidates, saying that they must make sure that their representatives are present on all counting tables so that unfair practices are not adopted.
He further said that an eye should be kept on postal ballots during counting.
The BSP has also put in place a system to monitor electronic voting machines before counting, claiming that they do not trust rivals as they could tamper with them.
"All candidates and sector in-charges have been told to keep vigil outside strong rooms where EVMs are kept and will be required to send footage from their areas to the party office at specified intervals," said a party functionary.
Thousands of supporters of SP-RLD alliance will remain present around counting centres on March 10 in western UP to ensure fair counting and foil any chance of 'irregularities.'
RLD leaders have directed all candidates to arrange at least 1,000 supporters from their respective constituencies who would remain around counting centres on the day of counting in order to mount pressure on officials for fair counting of votes.
The district administration in Meerut has allowed three representatives of a candidate to stay at counting centres until counting begins on March 10.
Samajwadi party's district president in Meerut, Rajpal Singh, said that three representatives of each candidate of the alliance were staying day and night at two counting centres in Meerut in order to keep a watch on stored EVMs.
Singh further said, "We cannot take risk in counting of votes after witnessing how the ruling party leaders and supporters pressurized elected members of panchayat to vote in favour of BJP and officials also helped them".
RLD's national secretary Kuldere Ujjwal said at least 10,000 supporters of the alliance would remain present during counting.
Ujjwal said under prevailing circumstances, they could not believe officials. "The strength of these supporters would help in ensuring fair counting."
Meanwhile, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has also expressed his apprehension about rigging. He also has called upon farmers to keep a close watch on counting centres on counting day.
Tikait has asked farmers to reach counting centres in their tractors by the evening of March 9 and stay there till the declaration of results.