Questions are being raised over the likely presence in the R. K. Nagar electoral scene of the very people who had allegedly vitiated the poll process during March-April 2017, leading to the rescinding of the bypoll notification in the constituency. Already, dissident AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, on whose behalf money was allegedly paid to voters, has announced his candidature.
An Income Tax search conducted at the house of Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar had led to the recovery of documents that purportedly showed that ₹89 crore was planned to be distributed to voters at the rate of ₹4,000 each. An FIR registered on a complaint by the Returning Officer naming Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and other senior Ministers in this regard is still being probed. In all probability, they will lead the campaign in the constituency, though this time against Mr. Dhinakaran.
“This would almost replicate what happened in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur, where the same candidates, against whom there were charges (of bribing voters), won,” says retired IAS officer and convenor of Forum for Electoral Integrity M. G. Devasahayam.
Delaying the conduct of elections until the cases against election offences are disposed in the courts is not the solution, Mr. Devasahayam agrees.
“The solution can only come from the people, who should not vote for corrupt candidates. They should ignore people giving money and vote for honest candidates with integrity.”
Limited powers
Former Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami suggests that the EC can be empowered to keep the accused candidates out of the election process till they are found innocent.
“It’s quite difficult to collect evidence against the candidates. When they are collected against certain individuals, who are candidates, instead of waiting for the criminal cases against them to get over in the courts, the EC can be empowered to keep them out of the process, so that the electorate is not punished,” says Mr. Gopalaswami. Also, the political fraternity is not forthcoming for major electoral reforms, he contends.
Another issue that is being debated is how the EC announced the schedule for the bypoll when only three days ago in the Madras High Court its counsel had expressed reservations over the possibility of conducting the elections before December 31 in view of factors such as the Christmas celebrations.
To this, the Chief Justice had pointed out that it was almost a year since the seat fell vacant. At a later point in the hearing, however, the Chief Justice clarified that her Bench had not directed the EC to conduct the polls within a time frame but had only expected it to do so.
