Acting on complaints that Yatri Nivas run by the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam was used for electioneering by the party men, election officials on Saturday made a surprise check and asked the management to allot accommodation only to the genuine pilgrims.
Several persons belonging to various parties were staying when a team led by the Revenue Divisional Officer, Srirangam, V. Manoharan, who is also the Returning Officer for the Srirangam constituency, inspected Yatri Nivas. He asked the party members to vacate the rooms on the ground that Yatri Nivas was meant only for pilgrims. While some agreed to move out, some others argued claiming that they were pilgrims. However, the officials asked them to vacate them immediately.
Mr. Manoharan told The Hindu that members of the AIADMK, DMK, and a few from the BJP were found staying at the Yatri Nivas. Many had been staying for election purpose. Although they claimed that they came as pilgrims, it was obvious that they had come for electioneering. The facility could not be allowed for election purposes. Hence, he had asked them, irrespective of party affiliation, to vacate immediately. Action would be taken against those refusing to vacate. Flying squads would make frequent visit to monitor the situation, he said.
A senior officer of the temple said rooms were allotted only to the pilgrims, who produced proof of identity. No one was allowed to stay beyond one or two days. It was difficult to ascertain whether they had come for visiting temple or not. However, instructions had been given to the officials concerned to allot rooms only to genuine pilgrims.
Meanwhile, election officials visited several areas of the constituency to detect code violations.
On finding symbols of political parties on road near the Srirangam Boys Higher Secondary School, the officials erased them. Officials removed 13 temporary structures, which served as election offices of the AIADMK and the DMK without permission at Veereswaram, Mela Kondayampettai, Ganapathy Nagar, and Malligaipuram.
