Six persons were arrested after they allegedly tried to auction a local body seat in Thaadaiyampatti village near Usilampatti here on Sunday.
Madurai Rural Police said that following a tip-off that a group of persons was likely to assemble at a specific location in the hamlet and discuss “auctioning” a couple of panchayat posts for which elections are to be held soon, plainclothesmen reached the spot.
On information that the post of a vice-president of a village panchayat figured in the “auction,” the police team swooped and secured six persons. Preliminary investigations revealed that they were planning to fix the “auction” price at Rs.10 lakh and utilise the money for public welfare programmes. The idea was that any person (candidate) willing to remit the money and obey their diktats would be elected unopposed, a police officer said.
The names of the arrested persons were given as Sendil, Palanichamy, Balakrishnan, Nagaraj, Thavasi and Vijayan of Thaadaiyampatti village.
Superintendent of Police Asra Garg warned of stern action against undemocratic practices such as auctioning of posts. He also said the law was clear on awarding punishment to those who indulged in distributing money or gifts in any form for seeking votes.
District Collector U. Sagayam in a press note on Sunday said all officials in the district have been informed to be vigilant about auctioning of local body posts.
In the event of any laxity on the part of the officials, action would be taken as per the State Election Commission's instructions. He appealed to the public not to succumb to such acts and spoil the essence of democracy. He urged the electorate to exercise their votes without fear and added that any information on such illegality would be acted upon.
