Chennai: A re-poll is under consideration in about ten polling stations, eight of them coming under Dharmapuri Parliament constituency, according to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo.
One polling station each under Cuddalore and Thiruvallur Parliament constituencies are also under the EC scanner and a final decision on re-poll in these places would be taken after studying the reports from the concerned general observers, Sahoo told reporters here on Saturday.
He said there had been multiple complaints from various political parties alleging irregularities and bogus voting in these polling stations. Preliminary probe showed discrepancies in the number of votes shown as polled vis-a-vis the voters’ lists. Following this, the general observers have undertaken a close audit of the polling and would submit report late Saturday, which would be sent to the Election Commission of India at Delhi for the final decision, Sahoo said.
“The EC will decide on re-poll and announce the dates for the re-poll if necessary”, the CEC said.
Meanwhile, the DMK candidate S Senthilkumar at Dharmapuri has petitioned the district collector, who is also the returning officer, alleging that PMK men had captured 10 booths in the Pappireddipatty Assembly segment where votes were polled for the two Assembly bypolls and the Parliamentary poll. PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss is the rival candidate and the sitting MP, making a bid for a second term here.
In his complaint, the DMK candidate said his party had suspected such mischief would happen because Anbumani had clearly indicated it in his speech at the Tiruporur rally on April 5 (seeking votes for AIADMK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel) by exhorting the alliance workers to be ready to take over the poll booths. The social media was agog with that speech in Tamil, which goes something like this — ‘What will happen in Polling booth? We will only be in the booth.
Then what...Should I say it openly? Have you understood?’ The others on the dais, including AIADMK’s former minister Valarmathi, responded with knowing smiles
After that controversial speech, the DMK had lodged complaint with the Election Commission seeking action against Anbumani, besides posting of additional security in the booths where people were also voting for the by-polls, besides firm instructions to the presiding officers to be vigilant against mischief.
However, reports of booth capturing on April 18 popped up in the media, which made the DMK even more upset.
Naming the booths that had come to be compromised — four in Nathamedu and two each in Kethureddypatti, Jaliyur and Ayyampatti — Senthilkumar in his petition alleged that PMK booth agents captured the booths and got multiple votes cast by each of several persons while the polling officials and the police on duty collaborated.
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