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Sunday, Jun 24, 2007
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Madurai bypoll: Election Commission awaits reports on law and order

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Two more observers posted for the June 26 byelection

MADURAI: Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami has asked officials in Madurai to maintain law and order without any bias and to take action in case of any violation of the Model Code of Conduct in the run-up to the Madurai West byelection.

After a brief review of election work with officials at the airport here on Saturday, Mr. Gopalaswami told reporters that the deadline given by the Election Commission to the State Government to improve the ground situation to avoid postponement of the byelection had not elapsed.

When asked whether law and order had improved after the EC’s ultimatum, Mr. Gopalswami said, “There is still time left. The deadline is not over.”

The CEC had instructed District Election Officer G. Sundaramurthi, City police Commissioner, Sanjeev Kumar and Returning Officer Dinesh Ponraj Oliver to strictly implement the model code of conduct to ensure a free and fair election. “There should be no room for complaints (of impartiality) from any quarters,” the CEC told them, according to an official source. He warned them that the Commission had reserved its right to order postponement of the byelection, if it was not satisfied with the situation.

In Ramanathapuram, where he was on a private visit, Mr. Gopalaswami indicated that the Election Commission would take a decision on postponing the byelection after receiving a report on the law and order situation. In an informal chat with presspersons, Mr. Gopalsami said he would receive the report on Sunday evening. The issue was whether there were sufficient reasons for the EC to postpone the byelection. “What we have said is that we will wait for a day and see.”

Replying to a question on whether the EC was satisfied with the way the State Government had handled the matter, he said, at this moment, he had no reasons to be dissatisfied. On whether this meant that the election would be held as per schedule, Mr. Gopalaswami replied it meant that he was still not satisfied.

Two more observers have been posted to monitor the byelection to the Madurai West Assembly constituency on June 26.

The observers, M. Sivasankar and Ajithkumar, will reach the constituency on Monday. They are in addition to the existing two observers in the constituency.

Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta told reporters in Chennai on Saturday that video cameras operated by paramilitary personnel would be installed in all polling booths.

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