The Hindu : Parties call for one-day poll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Parties call for one-day poll

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB.25. Representatives of political parties who met the Election Commissioner, B.B. Tandon, today demanded that polling be held on a single day in all Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

Ten recognised parties — All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Congress, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Bahujan Samaj Party and Nationalist Congress Party — put forth their views and made written submissions to Mr. Tandon at the Raj Bhavan. He is here to elicit the views of the parties, the administration and election officials. He will meet district election officers tomorrow.

The DMK wanted the polling process videographed in all booths. It suggested that Central forces on security duty be brought under the Election Commission's control. Certificates issued by revenue officials should not be accepted as proof of voter identity and authenticated copies of the electoral roll, signed on each page by the competent authority, should be made available to the parties.

The PMK said the EC should evolve a mechanism to ensure impartiality in the conduct of the poll, the Central security forces should be posted in all booths, the parties should be given a chance to verify the rolls, and genuine complaints, received even after their publication today, should be examined and suitable action taken.

The CPI (M) said fictitious names should be identified and removed from the rolls, just as it was done recently in three Assembly constituencies. Persons without the EC's voter identification card should be allowed to vote on their producing select documents, after the State's Chief Electoral Officer held discussions on this issue with political parties.

The CPI (M) and the CPI said any official now working in his or her home district should be shifted out (Specifically, both the parties said the Tuticorin Collector was serving in his home district and should be shifted.) and that transportation of voters to booths curtailed.

The MDMK pointed to the big distance between the booths and said the EC should make available transport for the voters. People should not be restricted from moving into and out of constituencies (as was done during the Andipatti byelection), it said.

The BJP wanted hard copies of electoral rolls circulated, apart from compact discs. The NCP said private television channels should not be allowed to advertise and telecast for a particular political party and that liquor shops, now controlled by the State Government, should be closed for one week before the polling date.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu