Nomination procession, in violation of norms

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM, SEPT. 27. There seems to be laxity on the part of political parties and law enforcing authorities in adhering to guidelines on the conduct of civic elections.

On Thursday the AIADMK Mayoral candidate, Mr Sureshkumar, went in a huge procession to file his nomination.

This was in stark contrast with the situation during the May Assembly elections, when the parties and candidates were under pressure to avoid fanfare.

Soon after the schedule for the Assembly election was announced, the parties were directed to avoid huge processions, particularly a convoy of cars accompanying the candidates at the time of filing nominations and campaigning.

The law enforcing authorities too kept a ``vigil'' on all parties, intently looking for any deviation from the guidelines. The strict enforcement of the rules made the parties to shed ostentation, consciously.

Normal life remained unaffected and traffic flow was uninterrupted. The same rules are said to be applicable to the local bodies elections too. But when Mr. Sureshkumar filed his nomination, a good number of vehicles accompanied the candidate's open jeep, and the procession moved at snail's pace and halted at three places to garland statues of leaders. Peak hour traffic on thoroughfares was disrupted and had to be diverted. Though a strong posse of policemen was posted in the Corporation, the partymen thronged the chamber of Mr. V. Pitchai, who is the Commissioner and also Returning Officer, and occupied every available space. A passerby said: ``since it was the ruling party candidate, the policemen were quite liberal with the crowd.''

When contacted officials said that in the absence of any specific guideline from the State Election Commission, it would be assumed that the same rules framed for the Assembly elections would be applicable to the civic body poll also.

However, the officials would act only on the new set of rules yet to originate from the Election Commission.

Moreover, the officials aver that while they are concerned with the electoral process, it is the task of poll observers to take note of the happenings and initiate action against those who flout the rules.

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Section  : Southern States
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