DISCUSSING A POINT: Election Commissioner N.Gopalaswami and DMK principal secretary Durai Murugan at an all- party meeting held at the Secretariat on Friday. Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta (left) and AIADMK propaganda secretary O.S.Manian (behi nd 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 in the State.

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

Feedback from officials in the 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 exercise. The plea was more or less acceptable, he said, adding that the Election Commission (EC) would decide on Monday.

Voter ID card issue

On the work related to issuance of 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 and had failed 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."

Political parties also wanted the voters to be 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 he had assured parties that the copy of the rolls supplied to them and the copy used in the polling stations would be the same.

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

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam principal secretary Durai Murugan demanded that employees recruited during the Government employees' strike should not be put on election work.

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

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

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