Parties Express Grievances At All-Party Meet
The Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) that was not invited for the meeting wrote to the CBI urging it to not call their president Vijay for interrogation to places outside Chennai till the elections were over: Reports
CHENNAI: The all-party meeting called by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik on Monday to discuss the diverse issues faced by the political outfits contesting the elections saw the DMK and AIADMK placing a demand to not cover up the statues of deceased leaders in public places, while the CPI wanted liquor shops to be closed for three days from April 20.
The Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) that was not invited for the meeting wrote to the CBI urging it to not call their president Vijay for interrogation to places outside Chennai till the elections were over. Since Vijay was being questioned in connection with the Karur stampede at his party meeting on September 27 in New Delhi repeatedly, the demand was made.
Vijay would be busy with the campaign for the April 23 elections; the party urged the CBI to not disrupt the electioneering by calling him to places outside Chennai.
At the all-party meeting, the parties had several other demands like transferring police officers. The appearance of a newspaper advertisement in the DMK organ ‘Murasoli’ on Monday was discussed at the meeting with DMK leader R S Bharathi explaining the faux pas.
He said that before the election announcement came in the evening of Sunday, the late edition of the newspaper had gone of print though it was distributed on Monday.The leaders at the meeting spoke about preventing cash payment to voters.
As per the election schedule, the gazette notification for the polls would be issued on March 30 and the last date for nominations will be April 6. After scrutiny of nominations on April 7, candidates would be allowed to withdraw their papers till April 9.
Polling would be held all over the State on April 23 and counting on May 4. The entire election process would be completed by May 6, the notification said, adding that the Model Code of Conduct would come into force with immediate effect, on March 15.
As on March 15, the total number of electors was 5,69,17,979 (Male:2,78,32,032; Female: 2,90,78,291 and Third Gender: 7,656), which includes 2446 Overseas Electors. There are 67,168 Service Electors in the final Electoral roll. Currently, the process of continuous revision is ongoing and all Eligible applications for addition can submit their Form 6 and Form 8 (only for shifting) till 10 days before the last date for nominations.
