CHENNAI: The Chief Electoral Officer, Rajesh Lakhoni on Tuesday clarified that disfiguring walls, by affixing any poster or any bill notice, in municipal corporations and municipalities, will warrant a one-year jail term or a fine which may extend up to `5,000.
This is “per Section 4(A) of the TN Open Places ( Prevention of Disfigurement) Act 1959. Commissioner of police for Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore and District Collector in other places are the authorities for giving or denying permission under the Act,” the CEO said in his message.
Responding to media persons, the CEO said `30.15 lakh of unaccounted money has been seized by Election Commission flying squads and an enquiry is going on.
Meanwhile, office-bearers of DMK legal wing submitted a petition to the CEO urging him to transfer Vellore district Collector R Nandagopal. The petition said he was serving as Collector in the same district during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “At that time he was transferred from Vellore on the reason that he had served as district collector, Vellore, for three years. Immediately after the Parliamentary Election process was completed, he was transferred back to Vellore as collector,” the petition added. So, except for a brief stint, Nandagopal had been continuing as Collector of Vellore district for five years. As such, he should be transferred from Vellore immediately.