The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission is unlikely to recommend the countermanding of the election in Madurai (West) constituency despite a report by the district collector on a dossier being seized from a DMK functionary, allegedly containing details of cash used for largescale bribing of voters.
State Election Commission officials will study the report submitted by Madurai collector Sagayam and forward it to the EC on Monday. Mr Sagayam had sent a report to the Election Commission on April 19 after he was asked for an explanation on media reports of a poll flying squad seizing a dossier from a DMK functionary with details of distribution of money used to bribe voters in Madurai West constituency. Though the EC refused to disclose the contents of Mr Sagayam’s three-page report on the seizure, it is learnt that no specific recommendation has been made to countermand the election in the constituency.
Although the commission is viewing the allegations seriously, it may not suggest cancelling of the election as this will result in demands from political parties to countermand elections in other constituencies where unaccounted cash was seized in the run-up to the polls.
Absence of proof that the cash mentioned in the dossier was actually distributed among voters makes it unlikely that the election will be repealed, sources said.
When asked if the report has been sent to the Election Commission of India, state Chief Election Officer Praveen Kumar said, “We have not yet forwarded the Madurai collector’s report to the ECI. We will send it only on Monday after a detailed examination.”