Kerala's 40,000 aid seekers at mercy of Election Commission

Thiruvananthapuram: The Election Commission`s code of conduct has hit about 40,000 cases of people in Kerala seeking aid amounting to Rs 44.54 crore from the Chief Minister`s Relief Fund.

"All these applications were cleared for payment before the model code of conduct came into effect and all of these are assistance to the most needy who are suffering on various counts," said a press release issued here on Sunday by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy`s office.

With the model code of conduct in force from March 4, the aid to the 40,000 applicants could no longer be disbursed without the clearance by the Election Commission of India.

The commission on March 4 notified May 16 as the day of polling for the Kerala Assembly.

Since May 2011, Rs.798 crore have been paid out from the Chief Minister`s Relief Fund, said the press release.