Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

EC directive on voter identity in Sattankulam

By J. Venkatesan

NEW DELHI Feb. 21. The Election Commission today announced that passbooks of new savings bank accounts in post offices and cooperative banks, opened after December 31 last in the Sattankulam Assembly constituency, would not be accepted as voter identity.

The Congress had drawn the Commission's attention to the alleged opening of new bank accounts in the names of fictitious persons for being used as identity for casting bogus votes.

Sources in the Commission said the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had been instructed that only those accounts opened prior to December 31 should be accepted. The certificates issued by the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and the Slum Clearance Board shall not be accepted as proof of voter identity.

On the allegation of the Congress that the ruling AIADMK was mobilising a large number of anti social elements in the constituency and threatening voters and the demand for deployment of the CRPF, the sources said the observers would monitor the situation and take necessary action.

The Commission had directed the CEO that only Central Government employees should be posted as presiding officers in all the polling booths. This had been complied with and necessary safeguards had been taken to ensure smooth conduct of the poll, the sources said.

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