Date:27/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/27/stories/2008122760881000.htm

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Commission preparing for elections, says Chawla

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Election Commission is slowly preparing for the Lok Sabha elections, Election Commissioner Navin B. Chawla said here on Friday.

Responding to a question at the airport, he, however, said no date had been decided.

Mr. Chawla, on his way to Madurai, said that at a recent conference of State Chief Electoral Officers, the Commission discussed ‘micro management’ of the poll process. Correct electoral rolls, EPIC, the model codes, identification of documents, places where auxiliary polling stations were to be located were some of the aspects looked into, he said.

Criminal antecedents

To a question whether people with a criminal background would be restrained from campaigning at Thirumangalam, where a by-election to the Tamil Nadu Assembly is being held, he said: “There is nothing like that.” Normal campaigning would be carried on. Election observers were there, the forces were there. “We are keeping a close watch. The Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu is there in Chennai. We have no problem with the poll at all,” he said.

Mr. Chawla said Thirumangalam would be just another keenly contested by-election. “We will have adequate force and our observer will be reaching Madurai on Friday. I think we can expect a very free, fair and transparent poll at Thirumangalam,” he said.

On the controversy over the number of persons accompanying candidates while filing nominations, he said the Commission had clearly defined the rules. If there was an excess, it would step in, he added.