Chief electoral officer meeting with all party members held in Chennai
Posted on: 28/Dec/2013 2:33:10 PM
Yesterday the chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar convened a meeting with all political parties to discuss issues related to the conduct of the Lok Sabha polls.
Most political parties in Tamil Nadu are in favour of a single-phase polling in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the state and conveyed this view during an all-party meeting called by the chief electoral officer in Chennai on Friday. The meeting was convened to discuss issues related to the conduct of the Lok Sabha polls. Representatives of various political parties also sought strict monitoring against distribution of cash and gifts to voters.
"All the parties requested that polling be held on a single day and a few of them wanted the election commission to strictly curtail distribution of cash and gifts to voters," said chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar. The parties wanted the EC to take steps to check door-to-door distribution of money done well before the polls, he said.
"Apart from demanding single-day polling, we also wanted the EC to keep tabs on paid news in print and electronic media," said DMK spokesperson and MP T K S Elangovan. The party demanded that AIADMK symbols on welfare schemes be blacked out, citing the case of EC teams draping statues and other symbolic representations of the elephant, which is the BSP`s party symbol, in UP. Sources said the AIADMK wanted the EC not to include lighting and other expenditure relating to security in the candidate`s expenditure. Party representatives urged the EC to speed up distribution of electoral photo identity cards (EPIC).
The Election Commission had invited eight recognised parties in the state, including the AIADMK, DMK, DMDK and BJP, to discuss electoral rolls, security and other poll-related issues. "Each party was permitted to be represented by two leaders and all of them attended and shared their views," said Praveen Kumar. The meeting was chaired by deputy election commissioner Sudhir Tripathi.
In the afternoon, the CEO held meetings with collectors through videoconferencing on the preparedness of district administrations for the Lok Sabha polls. Issues like security at polling stations and preparation of electoral rolls, including addition, deletions and corrections were discussed, he said.
