The PMK has written to the Election Commission (EC) and the Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, Satyabrata Sahoo, seeking their intervention to ensure free and fair polling in the upcoming byelection to the Vikravandi Assembly constituency, slated for July 10.
In a representation submitted to K. Yuvaraj, Assistant Returning Officer for the constituency on Tuesday, K. Balu, a PMK spokesperson said that there was a need for intensive and sustained focus by the EC in the constituency as the ruling DMK has nominated an election task force comprising Ministers in each of the Panchayat unions in Vikravandi.
Though the DMK cadre and Ministers can be undoubtedly involved in campaigning for their party nominee, their camping in the panchayat unions till the election would violate the Model Code of Conduct, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the PMK’s candidate for the byelection, C. Anbumani, has submitted a complaint, addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Mr. Sahoo, stating that the presence of nine Ministers of the DMK, and an MP, who had been asked to camp at unions as part of an ‘election task force’ would influence the local administration and affect the conduct of the election in a free and fair manner.
He alleged in the letter that the Ministers were influencing the electoral officers and the local panchayat representatives by claiming that they can take away the power of the local panchayat members if they do not cooperate with the ruling party.
Poll task force
“In particular, Panaiyapuram Panchayat president was threatened by Ministers,” Mr. Anbumani said. Ministers K. Ponmudy, K.N. Nehru, E.V. Velu, M.R.K. Panneerselvam, R. Sakkarapani, T.M. Anbarasan, S.S. Sivasankar, C.V. Ganesan, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, and MP S. Jagathrakshagan were appointed to the election task force team.
