Charge sheets have been filed in 70 per cent of the cases relating to violation of model code of conduct, Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar said on Wednesday.
The Election Commission was closely monitoring the process of filing charge sheets in poll-related cases. A total of 1,200 cases were registered against distribution of money to voters, he said speaking to reporters after inspecting counting centres at Pudukottai and Thanjavur.
Mr. Praveen Kumar dismissed criticism over the long gap between polling and counting of votes in the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. “In an election process involving different states, people of one State have to wait for getting the results. This happened in Bihar and a few other States in previous elections. People then had to wait for one and a half months. This cannot be termed a delay,” he said in response to a query in Thanjavur.
Counting of votes will be taken up booth-wise and not through randomisation of electronic voting machines. About 2.11 lakh postal ballots have been issued to eligible service personnel and government employees in the State. Eligible voters could submit postal votes till the morning of May 13, the day of counting. He reiterated that the Election Commission had only adhered to the rules and regulations that are in force in Tamil Nadu for ensuring the smooth conduct of the Assembly election
Earlier, accompanied by P. Amudha, Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. Kumar visited the counting centres at the Government Arts College for Women in Pudukottai and the Kundavai Nachiyar Government Arts College for Women in Thanjavur. He inspected the arrangements for counting and enquired with representatives of political parties about security arrangements.
In Pudukottai, Mr. Kumar chaired a training programme on the counting process for Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers from seven districts.
Collectors A.Suganthi (Pudukottai), V.Sampath (Sivagangai), T.N.Hariharan (Ramanathapuram), M.S.Shanmugam (Thanjavur), K.Bhaskaran (Tiruvarur), T.Munianathan (Nagapattinam) and Mahesan Kasirajan (Tiruchi) participated.
