VELLORE: The police registered a case against three men, including two election officials, in connection with alleged irregularities in the conduct of the postal ballot for senior citizens aged 85 and above and disabled voters in the Anaicut constituency.
Following a complaint by AIADMK district advocates’ wing secretary R Govindaswamy, the two implicated officials – Nagalingam and Velmurugan – were suspended on Sunday.
They allegedly voted on behalf of Dharmalingam (85), who was away on his agricultural land at the time officials arrived at his home. Along with the officials, the Virinchipuram police also arrested D Kesavan, Dharmalingam’s son.
The case was registered under Sections 174, 198 and 319 (2) of BNS (sections largely dealing with the offence of undue influence or personation during elections and Sections 134 and 136 (d) of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951, about electoral offence.
AIADMK leaders led by Anaicut candidate D Velazhagan staged a dharna in front of the police station on Monday, alleging that the police had reportedly brought Dharmalingam’s wife Manickammal to the station for inquiry. They further demanded that the DMK functionaries who allegedly threatened the woman into giving a false statement be arrested.