Lakhoni meets EC officials in Delhi amidst row over Governor's interference

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer (CEO) Rajesh Lakhoni is believed to have met Election Commission officials in Delhi on Friday, over elections in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur. A week ago, the Madras High Court had directed the Election Commission to finalise polling dates in these two constituencies by Friday.
Polls here were deferred following complaints that political parties and candidates had bribed voters with cash and freebies.
Meanwhile, TN Governor K Rosaiah's letter to Chief Election Commissioner, Nasim Zaidi, to conduct elections in these two constituencies by June 1, and news of Lakhoni meeting the Governor on this issue have raised hackles in political circles.
Thursday's Raj Bhavan release had stated that after AIADMK candidates in these two constituencies submitted a representation to the Governor on May 22, the Governor met Lakhoni on May 23.
Retired bureaucrat M G Devasahayam and PMK chief Ramadoss have questioned the Governor's motives and criticised Lakhoni.
In a statement, S Ramadoss demanded the removal of Governor Rosaiah and Lakhoni for "acting in a partisan manner favouring the ruling AIADMK party". He also criticized the CEO for briefing the Governor on poll-related issues before the conclusion of election process.
Devasahayam, in a letter to the CEC said, described the Governor's intervention as "without jurisdiction and not in the interest of electoral integrity, which is the prime responsibility of the EC."
In his letter to the CEC, the Governor had cited provisions in the Representation of People Act, 1951, the Constitution, and previous Supreme Court judgments. Devasahayam said the SC judgment quoted by the Governor "is totally out of context" as the polls to these two constituencies were postponed due to "bribery and corrupt practices of political parties". The judgment itself "categorically upholds the powers of EC to fix the date of the poll," he said.
Former CEC T S Krishnamurthy told TOI, "The Election Commission alone has the right to decide when to conduct elections." A former election official, who requested anonymity, said, "The Governor has no role in the electoral process. A constitutional authority cannot interfere with the working of another. The Governor, as head of state, can however ask to meet the CEO."