EC rescinds election to Thanjavur, Aravakurichi

CHENNAI: Taking a tough stand on rampant voter bribing in the run up to the May 16 Tamil Nadu assembly election, the Election Commission of India has decided to postpone indefinitely polls to two constituencies Aravakurichi and Thanjavur. Election to the two constituencies had already been postponed to May 23 following seizure of huge amounts of unaccounted cash meant for distribution to voters.The May 23 date too was cancelled after EC flying squads seized more unaccounted cash and goods.
“The Commission is satisfied that the election process in the two constituencies cannot be allowed to proceed and ought to be rescinded so that fresh election may be conducted de-novo (anew) when the atmosphere becomes conducive to the holding of free and fair elections after a reasonable lapse of time,"said a statement signed jointly by Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and election commissioners A K Joti and O P Rawat.
The EC issued the statement at midnight of May 27, the deadline fixed by the Madras high court for announcement of poll date within three weeks for the two constituencies. In a 29-page explanation, the EC detailed the various seizures of unaccounted cash in the two constituencies in the run up to the May 16 election as well as ahead of the postponed date of May 23 and Supreme Court observations to support its decision.
In their report of the Aravakurichi constituency, special observers said it was “intriguing” that even after the postponement of the poll in the constituency, 11 complaints were made by various people between May 17 and 18 regarding money distribution. “A seizure of Rs 5.72 lakh in cash on May 18 from a vehicle further bolsters the apprehension that the money distribution has become entrenched in the political culture here,” said the EC observer.
The EC report has accused both AIADMK and DMK of distributing money to voters based on huge seizures and statements from residents in the two constituencies. On April 22, EC teams found Rs 4.77crore cash, incriminating documents and currency counting machines from the Karur residence of C P Anbumathan , an AIADMK party member. On May 10, EC squads found Rs 1.98 crore in the premises of DMK candidate K C Palanisamy in Karur. “The reports of the two EC teams on Aravakurichi and Thanjavur show and lead to an irresistible conclusion that the whole atmosphere in the two constituencies has been totally vitiated by inducement of electors by illegal means,” said the Commission.
Earlier, in a statement, EC Director (Information) Dhirendra Ojha said "for the first time in electoral history of India, the Election Commission of India based on reports of large-scale distribution of money and gifts to elector by the candidates and political parties decided to rescind the notification and conduct elections afresh in due course of time."
Ojha said the EC's decision was based on reports of observers, special teams of central observers, reports of the special team of observers of Aravakurichi and Thanjavur and representations of contesting candidates of these two constituencies. The EC later posted the detailed explanation on its website.
The Commission also took a strong view of Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosiah writing to the commission on May 26 seeking to advance the poll ahead of the June 11 Rajya Sabha election. The EC said the Governor should have avoided writing to the EC seeking to hold the election early so as to enable the newly-elected members to vote for the Rajya Sabha election to six seats from Tamil Nadu falling vacant. The Governor’s observation was an extraneous consideration inasmuch as the members elected on the basis of an election which is not free and fair would not be true representatives of the electors of these constituencies. “Further, there is no requirement under the law that for conducting the elections to RS, all seats in the legislative assembly should be filled,” they said.
Reacting to the EC’s decision, DMK chief M Karunanidhi accused the ruling AIADMK of vitiating the election and urged the commission to ensure free and fair polls in the two constituencies. Holding both AIADMK and DMK responsible for corruption in the election process, PMK founder S Ramadoss said candidates of both parties should not be allowed to contest election in the two constituencies.