The Hindu : Tamil Nadu voter list by February 25: EC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 15, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu voter list by February 25: EC

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, FEB. 14. The Lok Sabha poll dates will be finalised and announced after February 22, but the schedule will not affect school and college examinations, the Election Commissioner, N. Gopalaswami, indicated today.

Talking to presspersons here, he said the final list of voters in Tamil Nadu would be readied by February 25. The Election Commission (EC) had looked into complaints of the presence of bogus voters in four constituencies. Without naming the constituencies, he, however, said there would be no mistake in the voter list in the State.

The list in Bihar would be finalised on February 28 and in Uttar Pradesh on March 3.

The elections to the Lok Sabha would be conducted in four phases, and Assembly elections to four States, including Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh, would also be held simultaneously. Polling in Tamil Nadu would be conducted in a single phase. Mr. Gopalaswami acknowledged that the EC was seized of the issue of (India Shining) advertisements but said it had not issued any official communication so far. The EC had invited the Chief Secretaries and election officers of States and other high officials for a discussion on February 16 and 17 on the requirement of para-military forces. Following that, the EC would discuss the issue with the Home Minister.

Additional deployment would be made in naxalite-infested areas.

Discussions with CEO

Out Chennai Special Correspondent adds:

In Chennai, the EC Consultant, K.J.Rao, held discussions with the Chief Electoral Officer, Mrutyunjay Sarangi, on the publication of the final rolls of the State on February 25.

Following widespread complaints by political parties that several thousand bogus voters were included during revision of the voter list, the EC sent observers who found that the rolls were inflated in some constituencies, especially in Colachel in Kanyakumari district and in Manamadurai in Sivaganga district. Mr. Rao, who is leaving for Madurai on Sunday, will verify the rolls in that district. On Monday, he will address a meeting of returning officers in Chennai and clarify their doubts.

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