Chennai: With a week to go for polls, officials on Saturday maintained that they have intensified the monitoring of all political parties to ensure that there is no cash for vote transaction in all three assembly constituencies that are due for polling on November 19. As a result of intensified patrol and vigilance unaccounted cash is seized on a daily basis, sources said.
Meanwhile, in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency unaccounted money’s worth over Rs 35 lakh was seized on Saturday by the static surveillance team.
Chief electoral officer Rajesh Lakhoni said that most of the cash has been in demonetised currencies. Currently seized cash is kept in physical stock in the strong room of treasury and is not deposited. If the claimants to the cash show convincing documents proving its source, the money would be returned or action would be taken based on the advice of the income tax department, the CEO added.
Responding to the cash seizures and the model code of conduct during their campaign DMK leader M. K Stalin and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss both found fault with the election commission and termed that the polls became necessary in Thanjavur and Aravukurichi as the election machinery failed to prevent the distribution of cash for votes during May 2016.
“The election commission postponed the general polls in two TN constituencies citing cash distribution for votes, but the same complaint of cash for votes is rampant in the same constituencies”, alleged Ramadoss in a statement taking a dig at the election commission for not completing the investigation related to cash for vote distribution.
Stalin to campaign in Nellithope for Pondy CM
DMK leader and leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly M. K. Stalin will undertake a campaign for Pudu-cherry Chief Minister and Congress candidate V. Narayanasamy on Sunday for the November 19 by-election for Nellithope constituency.
Talking to reporters here former DMK minister K. Ponmudi said that Mr Stalin would address the gathering at nine different places in the constituency.
“Stalin will be reaching Puducherry by Saturday evening and would commence his electioneering from Pillaithottam area,” he said.
The campaign of Stalin would be a thanksgiving campaign, not vote canvassing campaign as DMK-Congress combine is sure about a thumping victory in the by-election.
The AIADMK candidate will lose their deposit in the constituency, said the DMK leader. A consultation meeting was held here in connection with the visit of Stalin presided by Ponmudi.
