Jaya govt violating norms: DMK

DMK chief M Karunanidhi today expressed the doubt whether the Election Commission would be able to conduct "fair and independent" Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu with the J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government in power.

"Going by the past record of the AIADMK government during by-elections, there is a general suspicion among the people over whether the poll panel will be able to conduct a fair, independent and honest elections, with the present government in power," Karunanidhi said in Chennai today.

The DMK stopped short of asking for President's rule in the state, since Karunanidhi is himself a critic of Article 356.

Talking about the "inaction" of district collectors against people who submitted bulk applications for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls, he said collectors refused to co-operate with the poll panel or with the Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer for probing into the allegations of inclusion of bogus voters. "Who has given them the strength. Who incited them?" he asked.

When the officials did not pay heed to the poll panel's orders during the preparation of the electoral rolls, what was the guarantee that the EC's instructions would be carried out by officials and police during the Assembly polls, he asked.

Karunanidhi said it would be a "mockery" of the poll panel's independence, if officials refused to obey the orders.

He alleged that the AIADMK government had "rewarded" officials against whom the poll panel had ordered action during the last Lok Sabha polls and the recent by-elections to the Assembly, by posting them in the same places where they were working before the polls. This had emboldened the officials to disobey the EC orders, he said.

Karunanidhi said he was always against imposition of President's rule in Tamil Nadu, but was agitated by the undemocratic actions of the Jayalalithaa government.

The AIADMK's efforts to stuff the electoral rolls with bogus voters was an attempt "to cut at the very root of democracy," he said and alleged many ministers and "willing officials" were used for this job.

Meanwhile, the issue of the disposal of bulk applications submitted for inclusion in the electoral rolls was discussed by Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer with collectors of state's northern districts in Chennai today.

The meeting, convened by state Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta, was held in the wake of opposition parties' allegations that the authorities had not given them the full list of applications, as directed by the Election Commission.

The poll panel had ordered action against persons who had submitted bulk applications with incorrect information. It had also sought a report from the collectors on the action taken. But three collectors did not respond.

The DMK and other Opposition parties had alleged that the AIADMK workers had submitted over 1.1 million applications on May 31, the last day for submission of applications and demanded that action be taken against officials who received the applications and against those who submitted them.

The poll panel had deputed a two-member team to probe the allegations and the team submitted its report.

The panel had asked district collectors, who are also the district electoral officers, to submit their reports on the bulk applications.