The Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday demanded that the Election Commission recall its decision to permit door-to-door campaign at midnight and said the decision would pave the way for several irregularities during polls.
G. Ramakrishnan, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said that to control money power at the time of polls, the EC was campaigning against bribing voters. Its decision to allow door-to-door campaign at midnight might end up aiding those indulging in the illegality. He wondered why the EC took such a decision unilaterally when there was no specific demand from the political parties.
Expressing shock over the announcement, CPI State Secretary D. Pandian said it would create great hardships to the public and would pave the way for anti-social elements to indulge in handing over money to voters at midnight.
Echoing similar concerns, Pon. Radhakrishnan, State BJP president, said the EC should immediately rescind the decision.
