A few political parties, mainly of the Third Front, have asked the Election Commission to conduct the polls in Aravakurichi constituency before May 19, the counting day, instead of May 23. If the elections are conducted after the results for all other constituencies are announced on May 19, voters in Aravakurichi would be influenced, the CPI, CPI (M), and the MDMK said in separate petitions to the Election Commission.
“If the polling for Aravakurichi is conducted after the results, that will give undue advantage to the winner and the level playing field will be deprived for all the contestants,” CPI state secretary, R. Mutharasan said.
“While we appreciate the action of the Election Commission in deferring the date of poll, we would like to state that if the election to Aravakurichi is not completed within the electoral process, the voting pattern on May 23 will be clouded by the results of May 19, providing undue advantage to the winner,” CPI (M) State Secretary, G. Ramakrishnan said. MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said the decision would definitely impact the voters in the constituency to vote in favour of the party declared winner on May 19. “The outcome will be the same even if our alliance gets the majority. The decision is against democratic spirit. Hence, I request you to conduct the election on May 18 before declaring the results,” he said.
The EC on Saturday deferred the polls to the constituency saying it was satisfied the electoral process in the Aravakurichi constituency was “seriously vitiated on account of unlawful activities of the candidates and political parties and their workers in bribing the electors and unlawfully inducing them by offering money and other gifts of consumable items to woo them in their favour.”
Holding the polls after May 19 will give undue advantage to the winner, say parties
