DISCUSSING A POINT: Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami and DMK principal Secretary Durai Murugan at the all- party meeting held at the Secretariat in Chennai on Friday. Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta (left) and AIADMK propaganda secretary O.S. Manian ( behind Durai Murugan) are also seen. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: The final rolls for Tamil Nadu will be published before March 7 as some districts have asked for more time for completion of disposal of new applications, Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami said here on Friday.

After holding discussions with Collectors of seven northern districts and officials concerned, besides meeting representatives of political parties, he told reporters that all the parties were "near unanimous" in favouring one-day poll for the State.

Describing Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry as "inseparable twins", he said both of them would go to polls simultaneously. On the EC's competency to hold one-day poll, he said that had been proved in 2001 and 2004.

The feedback obtained from officials in different districts indicated that the disposal of new applications was progressing smoothly but some places might need three to five days more for completion of the process. The plea was more or less acceptable, he said, adding that the Election Commission (EC) would take a decision on the issue on Monday.

Voter ID card issue

On the work related to issuance of the Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), he said in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore the situation was not satisfactory. The programme in these districts was facing teething trouble, as the agencies that had undertaken the work had not activated sufficient number of centres, besides failing to install adequate number of cameras.

The photo quality was also not good. A meeting would be held on Saturday with these agencies to ensure that their output was enhanced. If they were unable to do so, the task would be entrusted to some other agency.

"In the whole State, we expect the EPIC coverage to go up at least to 90 per cent as the work is progressing in a faster pace in many districts," he said.

Political parties also wanted that the voters were identified only by the EPIC card. Mobile units for issuance of the cards would be introduced in interior and hilly areas, he said.

To a query, Mr.Gopalaswami said that he had assured parties that the copy of the rolls supplied to them and the copy used in the polling stations would be exactly the same.

Mr.Gopalaswami held a meeting with district collectors and Electoral Registration Officers in the western region in Coimbatore. Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta and Special CEO Chandra Prakash Singh were also present. The draft rolls published now had 4.49 crore voters as against 4.63 crore voters in 2005, he said.

The Drvida Munnetra Kazhagam principal secretary Durai Murugan urged that those employees recruited during the Government employees' strike should not be put on election work.

The All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's propaganda secretary O.S.Manian said no genuine voter should be left out.

Congress leader Peter Alphonse said the funds earmarked for flood relief should not be misused by the ruling party.

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