CHENNAI: Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Thursday asserted that a robust strategy will be in place to check influence of money and distribution of freebies during the coming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu. The CEC also warned of stringent action against those indulging in such malpractices. However, he did not divulge the nature of the strategy to be enforced.
“The Commission has already started a re-assessment and we will re-design our strategies to deal with the menace of distribution of money and freebies. The EC will hold meeting with over 11 multi-enforcement agencies starting from the Revenue Intelligence personnel down to District level Income Tax Officers. We will undertake a brainstorming session and come out with a new, robust strategy, which will be unveiled at an appropriate time,” the Chief Election Commissioner said, addressing a press conference at the end of the two-day review of arrangements for the Assembly elections.
Expressing satisfaction over the arrangements, the CEC said there would be a purification drive from February 15 to 29. During this drive, multiple entries, dead and shifted voters, identified by the EC systems with inputs received from the political parties, would be subjected to door to door verification. “Through this drive, the electoral rolls would be purified to a large extent,” he added.
The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System would be implemented in 17 Assembly constituencies – Anna Nagar, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Salem (North), Erode (West), Tirupur (North), Coimbatore( North), Dindigul, Trichy (West), Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Madurai (East) Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. Over 20,000 booths which have been identified as hypersensitive and vulnerable would be covered with webcasting, and, wherever possible, CCTVs would be installed to record all activities at the booth, which would be closely monitored by EC machinery.
“The EC will lay special focus on registration of voters in the age group of 18-19 years. Through the summary revision and special camps already held, only 18 lakh youth have been covered, whereas the total number of youth to be covered stood at 26 lakh,” the CEC added.
Zaidi said there were nine districts in northern Tamil Nadu where weaker sections of the society were reportedly subjected to harassment and Central paramilitary forces would be deployed there besides CCTV monitoring and webcasting measures.
“We have already directed all the District Magistrates and SPs to undertake intensive and extensive action against anti-social elements and to build a conducive environment for conducting free and fair elections,” he said.
The Chief Election Commissioner assured timely disposal of complaints and applications seeking permission from political parties. Web based monitoring of liquor sale would be done while cash transaction reports from the banks would be monitored closely.
The EC would come down heavily upon ‘paid news’. On the opposition parties’ objection to the enforcement of Section 144 ahead of polling, he said “we have taken note of the remarks made by the political parties and we will take a call at an appropriate time.”