Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday accused the Election Commission (EC) of imposing excessive restrictions and unilaterally transferring officials without consulting the State government.
In a statement here, he said that in an “unprecedented manner” the EC had ordered transfer of Director-General of Police (DGP) and many District Collectors.
“It has not spared even honest officials only because the AIADMK levelled allegations against them. It has transferred them without verifying the allegations,” he said, adding that even public relations officers working at the Collectorate were transferred.
Wondering why there was a month's gap between the polling date and the counting date, he said the EC had rejected the request of the political parties for postponing the polling date, because it “does not want anyone to raise their voice against it”.
Recalling the days when wall writings, festoons and loud speakers made election a festival for celebration, Mr. Karunanidhi said the EC had even issued a direction that statues of leaders such as Annadurai, Kamaraj, Rajiv Gandhi and MG Ramachandran should be covered.
Citing newspaper reports, the Chief Minister said checking of vehicles had completely crippled trade because traders were not allowed to carry money to banks.
“The money carried for land transactions is also being seized. But the irony is that the EC is not able to seize money from any politician,” he said, adding that the traders' association had called for closure of shops on March 29 as a mark of protest against vehicle checking.
Mr. Karunanidhi said transport of livestock was also under surveillance because the EC was under the impression that chicken and goats were being transported to prepare biriyani and offer it to voters as inducement.
“In some places they have seized jewellery. In Madurai, officials have searched an onion godown for money,” he said. He pointed out that public interest litigation had already been initiated in the Madras High Court against the excessive restrictions imposed by the Election Commission.
