Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Where all norms thrown to the winds

By Karthik Subramanian

CHENNAI May 31. Largescale movement of ``volunteers'' in vehicles without number plates and in autorickshaws, despite the presence of the police strike force and CISF parties, was the norm of the day as Saidapet went to the polls on Friday.

The entire constituency was swarming with vehicles like Sumos, Boleros and Qualises bearing political colours and flags, along the major thoroughfares such as Alandur Road, Jones Road, and in Parsn Nagar.

The presence of large number of partymen displaying symbols, and gathering in groups around the vehicles, created an intimidating situation for voters in some booths even in the morning.

At least two vehicles, one a brown Bolero and another white Tata Sumo, without number plates were seen frequently zipping through Jones Road and Mosque Street transporting people to various polling stations. A large section of AIADMK volunteers were seen at Devarajan Kalyana Mandapam, close to Corporation Higher Secondary School on West Jones Road.

The police allowed free movement of these vehicles ferrying the ``voters'', turning a deaf ear to the protests by the opposition party members as well as members of the public. By contrast, vehicles belonging to residents were not allowed on roads where polling stations were located, and had to go by diverted routes. Makeshift drop barriers were used for the regulation.

An election official at the Corporation School on Jones Road said candidly that at least 10 votes were cast illegally when a group owing allegiance to AIADMK barged in during the forenoon.

``There is little I can do. I am just in government service and this has been happening with the connivance of the police officials'', he said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Parties charge largescale bogus voting
• Where all norms thrown to the winds
• In search of pastures on fake passports
• No major incident in Acharapakkam

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu