Chennai: Sending a clear message that no
freebies of AIADMK Government be implemented in Tirunelveli
and Tuticorin districts in view of March 18 Sankarankoil
assembly by-election, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer
Praveen Kumar on Saturday said all efforts would be made to ensure a
free and fair poll in the constituency.
With the model code of conduct coming into effect in these
two districts under which the constituency falls, no new
schemes should be announced till the polling process was
completed, he told reporters.
"There should be no announcement of new schemes, or
inclusion of new beneficiaries," he said adding the state
governments' schemes (free mixie, grinder, fan or laptops)
should not be implemented in both the districts during this
period.
On the measures for the conduct of the bypoll, caused by
the death of Minister C Karuppasamy last year, he said most of
the process including filing of nominations would be
video graphed.
"Ten flying squads and static squads are in place to
recover any illegal cash," he said adding outsiders would be
asked to leave the constituency ahead of polling.
Around 1,200 polling personnel will be on duty in the 2.05
lakh voter constituency. The number of polling booths had
increased compared to the April 2011 polls, Kumar said.
AIADMK and its arch rival DMK have already announced their
candidates for the bypoll.
Vaiko-led MDMK, which had boycotted the assembly elections
last year, has announced it will contest the bypoll while
actor Vijaykanth-led DMDK is also likely to field its
candidate, making it a four-cornered battle.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 18, 2012, 18:41