Disqualify DMK’s Vellore candidate, says D Jayakumar

Chennai: Emerging out of the meeting with EC authorities, state fisheries minister D. Jayakumar said that the AIADMK has sought the disqualification of DMK’s Vellore candidate Kathir Anand if it was proved that the huge sums of money seized by I-T officials in Vellore, belonged to him.

“If it has been proved that the candidate is involved in distribution of cash to voters, then criminal action should also be taken against him,” Mr Jayakumar said. The party wanted the EC to prevent the distribution of money to voters.

The team of officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) held a meeting with the representatives of various political parties here on Wednesday amidst pleas by the AIADMK to curb the distribution of money to voters and to disqualify DMK’s candidate for Vellore if it has been proved that the money seized in his constituency belonged to him.

Election Commissioners: Ashok Lavasa and Susil Chandra, along with Umesh Sinha, senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Dilip Sharma, Director General (Expenditure) and Dhirendra Ojha, Director General (Communication), ECI, reviewed the preparedness for the General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2019 and by-elections to 18 Assembly constituencies. The team held a meeting with the representatives of recognised political parties at ITC Grand Chola Hotel.