Seized cash, money stored to woo voters reason: EC
Chennai: Citing “free flow of money” and various other large-scale poll violations, the Election Commission on Saturday postponed Assembly elections in Aravakurichi constituency to May 23 to save polls from the “pernicious effect of money power” so as to maintain the sanctity of elections envisaged under the Constitution.
In a notification issued late Saturday night, the Election Commission said the polling in the constituency would be held on May 23 and counting of votes will take place on May 25.
The Commission said from the very early stages of the notification of the election, the Commission started receiving complaints in large numbers with regard to the distribution of money and other gifts in the form of consumable items to the electors of the constituency by the candidates and political parties in the election fray.
It also noted that on April 22, the income tax department conducted a search in the residence of one Shri Ambunathan and recovered '4.77 crore and some other incriminating documents which revealed proximity to some prominent Ministers of the Tamil Nadu Government and belonging to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
The notice said on 10 May, the income tax department conducted another search in the residence of DMK candidate K.C. Palanisamy and his son Shri K.C.P. Sivaraman in Chennai and Karur and added that seven FIRs have been registered in the constituency.
“The Commission has very carefully analysed and examined the whole situation. Now from the facts narrated above, the irresistible conclusion is that all
the above seized monies and gift items were meant for distribution to electors as illegal inducement to them,” the notification said.
Noting that the “law of the country also frowns on the role and influence of big money in the electoral process”, the notification issued by the Election Commission said the decision to postpone the elections “to save the elections from the pernicious effect of money power so as to maintain the sanctity of elections envisaged under the Constitution and upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court”.
“The Commission is satisfied that the current electoral process in said 134-Aravakurichi Assembly Constituency in Tamil Nadu has been seriously vitiated on account of unlawful activities of the candidates and political parties and their workers in bribing the electors and unlawfully inducing them by offering money and other gifts of consumable items to woo them in their favour,” the notification said.
