Intensive measures will be in place to prevent the distribution of cash or freebies to voters in the Tiruchi West constituency, where by-election will be held on October 13, Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar said here on Thursday. “Since this is a by-election, we will intensify our focus and efforts. There will be additional flying and surveillance squads depending on the requirement,” he told reporters after reviewing the arrangements. While all polling stations will be treated as critical, some will be classified as vulnerable. “But, this (classification) is a dynamic situation and wherever necessary additional security will be provided as availability of security forces will not be a constraint.”
Polling will be webcast from all the 240 polling booths in the constituency. The polling stations are situated in 67 locations and at least one micro-observer will be deployed for each location. Booth slips will be distributed by the Election Commission door-to-door as in the recent Assembly elections. “We will request for some Central forces but a decision will be taken by the Election Commission,” he said in a response to a query.
When his attention was drawn to the possibility of confusion over the indelible ink mark affixed on the index finger of voters as the local body elections were to follow soon, Mr. Kumar said a decision would be taken by the Election Commission.
One possibility would be to affix the mark on some other finger for one of the elections.
Mr. Kumar earlier held separate meetings with the representatives of recognised national and regional parties to discuss arrangements and elicit their views on the by-election.
Answering a query, he said that most of the political representatives had observed that the by-election should be held free and fair manner just as the recent Assembly elections and sought redoubled efforts to prevent the distribution of money to voters. Asked about the status of cases filed in the run-up to the Assembly elections, he said that over 6,000 first information reports were (FIRs) filed. Of these, charge sheets were filed or action dropped after investigations in all but 200 cases. Charge sheets would be filed soon in the remaining cases. Investigations into the seizure of Rs.5.11 crore from the roof top of a private bus in Tiruchi West constituency had been taken by the Income Tax Department. In cases where the seized money could be linked to the election, cases were filed. Others were handed over to the Income Tax Department.
About 200 candidates, who contested the Assembly elections in the State, had not filed expenditure accounts. Most of them were Independents and action was being initiated. Mr. Kumar reviewed the arrangements for the by-election and security measures with Jayashree Muralidharan, Collector and District Election Officer, and E.Ma. Masanamuthu, City Police Commissioner.
