TIRUCHY/CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday said his office had not received any communication on the Election Commission of India’s alleged directions to file a first information report (FIR) on charges of bribing voters in the RK Nagar bypoll.
He was responding to questions from reporters on an alleged RTI response, which said: “The Commission has directed that an FIR may be filed by the Returning Officer in the instant case vide Commission’s letter dated 18.04.2017.”
The ECI was replying to an RTI poser from advocate M P Vairakkanan, which listed the names of seven leaders and sought to know what action was being taken against them.
But the ECI’s April 18 letter did not mention any names of leaders. Signed by Secretary Malay Mallick, the letter said: “Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the Commission has directed that an FIR may be filed by the RO in the instant case. It is expected that quick and appropriate action is taken by the police and the Commission is apprised about the same at the earliest.” There was also no clarity on the status of the FIR.
Meanwhile, DMK leader M K Stalin, in a statement, urged the Chief Secretary, the Chief Electoral Officer and the Police Commissioner to immediately honour the order of the ECI, failing which his party would file a case in the Madras High Court.