Tamil Nadu   

Veerasamy questions “impartiality” of EC

Arcot N. Veerasamy

CHENNAI: Irked by the Election Commission’s submission to the Supreme Court in the case relating to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa filing four nominations, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam treasurer and senior Minister Arcot N.Veerasamy on Tuesday sought to know if the Commission was a “branch” of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or a non-partisan body.

In a statement here, Mr. Veerasamy said according to the provisions of the Representation of People’s Act, nobody could contest from more than two constituencies. But Ms. Jayalalithaa filed nominations from four constituencies in 2001.

He said after examining a petition filed by DMK MP C. Kuppusamy, the Madras High Court had directed that a criminal case be filed against Ms. Jayalalithaa. Accordingly, the Chief Election Commissioner issued orders to the Returning Officers of Bhuvanagiri and Pudukottai asking them to initiate action. The ROs did as instructed and the case was pending.

Mr. Veerasamy said Ms. Jayalalithaa approached the Supreme Court against the High Court’s direction. The Commission filed a counter on Tuesday. News reports indicated that the Commission had submitted that Ms. Jayalalithaa had not done anything wrong.

He said though the Commission had promised to take action based on the High Court direction, it later sought a clarification from the Court, which held that no clarification was required. It was after all this that the Commission filed its counter stating that Ms. Jayalalithaa had not committed any mistake. It told the Supreme Court that Ms. Jayalalithaa had not withheld any information. Mr. Veerasamy said the Commission was a non-partisan institution and should dispense justice to all in an even-handed manner. If it submitted to the Madras High Court that it would take action against Ms. Jayalalithaa, then sought a clarification and later submitted to the apex court that Ms. Jayalalithaa had committed no mistake, then what explanation would it offer to the common man, in whose minds many doubts had arisen?

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Fitness still helps them to kick freely
Key witness deposes in Aladi Aruna murder case
Mediation camp inaugurated
Pilot playgrounds for all panchayats in Virudhunagar
‘Operation birth control’
Human error major cause for mine accidents: Director-General
Taluk headquarters status sought for Ambur town
Two drown in Cauvery
NH 67 becoming a ‘deadly’ stretch
Free gas scheme launched
AIADMK flays State on disbursal of cooperative loans
Bhavani SHG wins Manimekalai Award
Youth asked to end rural untouchability
Voting on no-confidence motion deferred
Focus on improving soft skills of government school students
Book release
Insurance Week
Tourist’s bag missing
Discourse
Awareness created
Students’ ire
Merges with BSP
Man jumps to death from apartment complex
Plea for LPG agency to Civil Supplies Corporation
Drop business-oriented approach in procurement, Co-optex told
Directive on smooth conduct of ceremony
Sasikala moves High Court
Security tightened at Meenakshi temple
Veerasamy questions “impartiality” of EC
Two Indian fishing boats missing
Women textile workers complain of contract violations
Government colleges likely to double intake
Court disallows admissions under ‘discretionary quota’
Indo-U.S. deal good under present circumstances: M.R. Srinivasan

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu