AAP writes to Election Commission seeking disqualification of Dayanidhi Maran

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has complained Chief Election Officer in Chennai seeking disqualification of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate Dayanidhi Maran from candidature alleging that the DMK candidate has submitted false accounts and exceeded approved election expenditure limit.

A complaint filed by J Prabhakar, AAP's candidate for Central Chennai Lok Sabha Constituency, alleged that according to the register maintenance of day to day accounts for election expenditure of Dayanidhi Maran uploaded in the Chennai Corporation website, the election expenditure statement filed by Maran for the period of April 4, 2014 to April 9, 2014 was Rs 44,630 only, while during the same period, the shadow register of Election Commission shows his expenditure as, Rs 61.64 lakh.

"Similarly, the declared expenditure for the period April 10, 2014 to April 15, 2014 by Dayanidhi Maran, is Rs 3.83 lakh. For the same period, the shadow register shows as computed by the Election Commission observers shows an expenditure of Rs 20.14 lakh. We understand the Returning Officer has also given a copy of the computer expenditure to the total of Rs 81.79 to the representative of Dayanidhi Maran," says the complaint filed by Prabhakar.

"It is very clear from the records that Dayanidhi Maran, has submitted false accounts and also incurred election expenditure over and beyond the permissible maximum amount of Rs 70 lakhs as prescribed by the Election Commission and therefore is eligible for disqualification under the prescribed rules and law. We therefore request you to take action to disqualify him as per law immediately," added the complaint.

He also added that the Election Commission has in the past disqualified Madhu Koda and Umesh Yadav, for suppressing and submitting false expenditure statement and this was upheld by Supreme Court and AAP is expecting a speedy action from the Chief Election Officer.