Chennai: In the wake of the Election Commission of India receiving complaints from political parties that the ruling AIADMK is distributing cash for votes in poll bound RK Nagar, ECI appointed two additional observers and increased the number of video surveillance squads on Wednesday.
According to sources with public elections department the appointment of additional observers was to add more surveillance in the constituency. The Opposition parties had been crying foul over the distribution of cash and freebies by supporters of ruling AIADMK and complaints are being lodged to the local returning officer, district election officer and to the office of chief electoral officer on a daily basis. In response to the complaints ECI had also instructed the R.K. Nagar poll duty officials to strengthen the static surveillance teams and the flying squads equipped with the video cameras.
A press statement from the office of district election officer said ECI had appointed two more additional IRS officers as observers for the R.K. Nagar by poll. With this the high profile constituency has five observers in place to monitor the election code. Sameer Tekriwal and Mallikarjun Utture will be available for voters to register their complaints and they will be available on 9445036533 and 9445036536 mobile numbers, the release said.
A special complaint cell at the Chepauk state guesthouse is also opened and the public in person can also meet the observers between 5 to 6 pm at the state guesthouse. The release further said that in addition to the current surveillance teams, four static surveillance teams and six flying squads will start patrolling R.K. Nagar on shift basis.
Meanwhile a DMK delegation petitioned the ECI officials in Delhi seeking transfer of nine police and three election officers of different ranks for allegedly helping the ruling party to distribute cash for voters in the R.K. Nagar constituency. The three-member delegation led by MP R.S. Bharathi also submitted video clippings with a complaint letter.
“Though the previous Chennai commissioner of police George was transferred, some officials who were working under him in different ranks are still extending help to the ruling party,” Bharathi told reporters, adding that the present zonal officer of Tondiarpet Vijayakumar took no action against state ministers Udumalai Radhakrishnan and Udayakumar for their alleged involvement in bribing voters, Bharathi alleged.
