The Election Commission has deployed four Indian Police Service officers under training in as many ‘expenditure-sensitive constituencies’ in the district where former Ministers and a former Assembly Speaker are in the fray.
Former Ministers Nainar Nagenthran, T.P.M. Mohideen Khan and Poongothai Aladi Aruna are contesting from Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai and Alangulam constituencies and former Speaker R. Avudaiyappan from Ambasamudram segment.
The EC has deployed trainee IPS officers Udhayakumar (Tirunelveli), Sudhanshu Varma (Palayamkottai), Manish Kumar Varma (Alangulam) and Shabir Karim (Ambasamudram) to monitor poll expenses of the candidates and check bribing of voters, if any.
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“If the public come to know about instances such as voters being lured through cash or gift, they can call these IPS officers, who will take immediate action,” Collector C. Samayamoorthy told reporters here on Friday.
Phone numbers
The public can reach Mr. Udhayakumar (94893 58798), Mr. Sudhanshu Varma (75984 98204), Mr. Manish Kumar Varma (94893 58799) and Mr. Shabir Karim (94893 58779) through their mobile phones to provide useful information relating to Model Poll Code violations, if any.
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A total of 1,380 para military force personnel would be deployed in the 287 critical and 266 vulnerable polling booths along with micro observers. Polling in these booths would be monitored through webcasting.
912 complaints
The election control room has so far received 912 complaints (348 complaints through phone, 31 through WhatsApp and 551 online complaints) and 843 had been disposed of.
Mr. Samayamoorthy said that all preparations for peaceful polling, especially adequate security arrangements, had been completed in polling stations and voters could cast their votes without any fear.
Commissioner of Police R. Thirugnanam, Deputy Commissioners Pradeep and Rajan, Superintendent of Police V. Vikraman and commandants of the para military force camping in the district attended the meeting.