Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 19: Refusing to comment on the case filed against film star and BJP candidate from Bikaner, Dharmendra, election commissioner B B Tandon today said the nomination papers of a candidate would be accepted only if he had submitted a "complete" affidavit with details of his personal property and his criminal antecedents along with that. Answering a query at a press meet here on the complaint against Dharmendra that he had violated the Hindu Marriage Act and the Shariat by concealing information about change in name and religion, Tandon said the position of the law had been explained by the Election Commission and it was upto the returning officer to decide on the issue.
"I have no comments on the specific case and it is the electoral officer's discretion to accept or reject a nomination. If complaints persist, the remedy available is an election petition in a court," he said.
On the former CEC J M Lyngdoh's reported statement that the move against Lalji Tandon, who resigned as Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's election committee convenor in Lucknow, was not within the purview of Election Commission, Tandon said he had not seen the statement.
"It may be his personal view. It is upto the presiding officer to decide on an action," he said.
Bureau Report