Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has defended Chief Electoral Officer Teeka Ram Meena saying that he was discharging his duty.
"Political parties may have their opinions," Mr Vijayan said referring to the allegations raised by CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and the League leaders about the unilateral action taken by Mr Meena in connection with bogus voting.
"There is an inbuilt mechanism in our electoral system to deal with various ills," he told reporters here.
When asked whether the bogus votes widely reported from Kannur and Kasargod on April 23 were not a challenge to democracy, the chief minister said the democratic system was intact. "If something wrong has taken place, then there are systems in place by which action is taken naturally," he said.
On the allegations that the CEO was taking unilateral action against certain political parties, he said, "the chief electoral officer is chief electoral officer. He will go ahead with his decisions. Why should we get anxious?"
When asked about the charges levelled by the CPM state secretary and Muslim League leaders about the action against their workers, the chief minister said the political parties might have their opinions. "They will make their position clear. But I don't want to venture into that issue now," he added.
Mr Vijayan said there are specific rules and laws under which the CEO functions. "Normally he functions within the framework of such rules and laws. I think he is performing in that manner now," he said.
Mr Vijayan's statement is significant as it comes close on the heels of the CPM move to initiate legal action against the chief electoral officer's decisions.
