MADURAI: Concerns were raised over from all quarters to change the announced election dates as it coincides with the renowned Chithirai festival where more than ten lakh devotees will throng to Madurai.
After the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that Lok Sabha elections for 29 constituencies in Tamil Nadu will be conducted on April 18, the people from the southern districts of Tamil Nadu apprehended that the polling turnout will decrease.
Speaking to Express, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, MLA of Madurai Central constituency said that the action of ECI is one-sided.
"When nearly ten lakh devotees throng to Madurai from various districts across Tamil Nadu for the major religious festival how they will vote? It creates doubt that there would be bogus or cross voting and chances of booth capturing when such a huge crowd gather in one place"
He also questioned when the elections for Karnataka, can be conducted in two phases, to a very low number of Lok Sabha seats compared to Tamil Nadu, why the election commission failed to consider such a major festival of the State
"Will people practice their religious faith or will practice the constitutional right? We suspect there is a political conspiracy in the announcement", he added.
On Monday, during the all-party meeting conducted by the district collector and district election officer Natarajan on the code of conduct on elections, the representatives of the parties submitted to change the date of an election at Madurai.
After the meeting, while speaking to the media, the district collector said that he was asked only about the holiday dates in the district by the ECI and the same was replied as April 19 on the account Chithirai festival. He also said that they are prepared even to extend the polling timings in Madurai.
Speaking to Express, a senior police officer on the request of anonymity said that they had raised concerns on providing polling protection in the city and to the chithirai festival at the same time.
"Nearly 5000 police personnel were required for protection duty to the chithirai festival alone. In that case, how can we provide protection to polling booths? Even, we cannot depute police personnel from nearby districts too for election bondhobust because other districts has elections on the same date", he added.
S Andiappan, an advocate said that chithirai festival cannot be categorised as a religious event of one particular district. "People from nearly six districts including Dindigul, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Theni from the southern part of Tamil Nadu will be witnessing the ceremony. For sure it will create a law and order problem and will end in low polling turnout", he added.
Meanwhile, the district Collector had made a communication to the ECI on the clash of dates of Chithirai festival and election; and also raised concern on the security measures in conducting an election on the same date.