The Election Commission’s order on Saturday requesting the cancellation of the notification of elections in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur details instances where the system worked when impartial observers were brought in, as opposed to two instances where it seems to have broken down when local administrators were involved.
A report from the Expenditure Observer in Thanjavur constituency put the odds faced by officials succinctly. “It is very painful to report that only about Rs. 21 lakh was seized during the election campaigning despite of sincere efforts by the undersigned with the available resources,” the Observer wrote.
The order details how difficult it was in several places to find voters admitting to have received money. In fact, a complaint came from outside the country: “...native of Esnatham in Aravakurichi (Taluk), Karur (District), but currently a resident of Massachusetts, USA, said that representatives of the AIADMK and DMK had left money behind at his parent’s residence for distribution amongst the voters of sums between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,000 by force in spite of their opposition.”
M. Baskaran, the Pattali Makkal Katchi candidate for Aravakurichi, was not surprised by the NRI’s complaint. In fact, Mr. Baskaran is extensively quoted in the EC order. He sent six complaints, via email, to the EC and over 30 complaints to the Karur DEO. “He allegedly furnished the proofs also several times in respect of which the DEO is yet to take action. However, it was informed upon enquiry in this regard by the DEO that action was also taken based on the report of Mr. Bhaskaran,” said the EC order.
On Saturday, Mr. Baskaran maintained that the DEO had failed to take action. “The system had failed,” he said. The EC repeatedly tried to ascertain the truth in both the constituencies.
On May 17, it formed two teams – comprising senior IAS, IPS, IRS and IT Department officers – for both constituencies. They submitted their reports on May 19. Not satisfied by this, the EC appointed two special observers each for both constituencies on May 18, who submitted their reports the next day. Special observers who went to Thanjavur proceeded to poke holes in a police investigation regarding the May 13 seizure of money and documents from two adjacent lodges, owned by the same person. The owner as well as the manager had been arrested after Rs. 20 lakh was seized. The accused had been trying to convince the police that the documents were related to the 2014 Parliamentary elections.
Tenuous contention
“In fact, the undersigned also got the distinct impression that the investigation is also leaning towards such a point of view. However, having perused the said documents and also having been apprised of the fact and circumstances, it would appear that such a contention is extremely tenuous and does stretch the test of reasonability,” said the observers’ report.
“So far as the hypothesis being propounded that the seized documents relate to distribution of cash during 2014 General elections, even a cursory appreciation of the evidence in its entirety would lead any rational person to throw it right out of the window.” The observers point out that the documents have ward-wise votes polled in 2014, proving that it has been prepared since. The report also matched data in the seized documents to February 2016 voters’ list.
An Expenditure Observer’s report spells out odds faced by officials to check money distribution
