The Election Commission of India has decided to extend polling hours in Tamil Nadu by an hour on the day of polling, for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election this summer, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said, on Thursday. It has also decided to send two Special Expenditure Observers to the State in view of the allegation of money distribution in Tamil Nadu.
The Commission's decision followed suggestions from representatives of some political parties. “Some party representatives suggested that the polling hours be extended. We discussed this and because of the physical distancing norms, we have decided to extend by one hour,” he told reporters.
Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha and Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo would work out the details in view of the decision. “When we actually announce the elections, the exact hours will also be announced,” Mr. Arora said while addressing a press conference. He was accompanied by Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar.
At least two Special Expenditure Observers would be sent to Tamil Nadu to watch against the distribution of money to voters, he said. These officers would have retired from senior government positions such as Secretary to the Government of India or Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes or the like.
Central forces
As for ‘randomisation’ of Central police forces deployed in poll-bound areas, the Commission has decided to appoint the coordinator of the Central Armed Police Forces as part of the apex committee that decides where these forces are deployed. Hitherto, the State governments have been deciding on these deployments.
This decision would not just be for the five poll-bound States, but for all of India in the forthcoming year.
At the district-level too, the senior-most General Observer will be part of the local committee. “This is a major decision we have taken. It will be formally conveyed to Chief Electoral Officers in the next two to three days,” he said.
Postal ballots
Though political parties in Tamil Nadu were divided over allowing postal ballots for elderly citizens above 80 years of age, Mr. Arora hinted that the Commission would go ahead with the decision since it did not face an experience of malpractice over postal ballots for the elderly during the Assembly polls in Bihar.
The elections in Tamil Nadu have consistently witnessed high voter turnout, he said and the Commission expected the forthcoming elections would witness an even higher voter turnout. The Commission was committed to conducting the forthcoming elections as “free, fair, peaceful, accessible, inclusive, inducement-free and COVID-19 safe elections,” Mr. Arora said.
COVID-19 situation
Tamil Nadu was on the “receding curve” with regard to the COVID-19 situation, he maintained. As for political parties’ request to hold the counting process within a day or two of the polling, Mr. Arora said it would not be possible, “since its outcome would affect polls in other States.” Not all the States would go for single-phase polling, and some have even six to seven-phase polls.
To a query on the distribution of money to voters, Mr. Arora said if the Commission was not serious about the menace, it would not have rescinded the bypoll in the R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency and the general election in the Vellore Parliamentary constituency -- the “harshest action taken by the EC in any State.”
Before winding up the press conference, Mr. Arora hoped there would not be any Vellores and R.K. Nagars, where the elections had to be rescinded in view of rampant money distribution.
EC unhappy with Excise Dept, Special DG - Enforcement
Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of the State Excise Department, the Election Commission has sought a special report from the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department seeking the details of seizures made.
“I must say we are quite unhappy with the overall performance of the State Excise Department as well as the Special DG - Enforcement. We have brought the relevant facts to the notice of the Chief Secretary at length in the meeting,” Mr. Arora said.
“We felt that much more could have been done with the State which has an excise revenue of ₹34,000 crore. The kind of seizures, which were done, they don’t even come to decimal..,” he said.
The disclosures to the Commission meant that only those on the ground such as drivers and courier men were being booked, “big fish” were still at large, he said.
“We have sought a special report on this matter from the Additional Chief Secretary - Home,” he added.
