The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : AIADMK seeks Central staff for Madurai bypoll

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Friday, Sep 29, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

AIADMK seeks Central staff for Madurai bypoll

Special Correspondent

Writes to EC saying State's employees are "functioning without any neutrality"

CHENNAI : The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Thursday urged the Election Commission not to deploy State Government employees for poll-related duties for the Madurai (Central) by-election on the ground that they "are not maintaining the necessary non-partisanship and are functioning without any neutrality in their service."

In identical letters to the Election Commissioner of India and the Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK election wing secretary O.Paneerselvam said there would be no purpose in employing the State Government staff in election duty for the by-poll.

"Instead, the employees of the Central Government may be drafted and necessary training can be given to them from now on. There is no point in the Election Commission of India stating that no harm will be done to any political party by employing the State Government employees," as the experience of political parties, especially that of the AIADMK had been quite "devastating," he said.

The Election Commission had to take every step to conduct free and fair polls to uphold democracy as per Articles 324 and 329A of Part XV of the Constitution, he said, adding that this could be achieved only if Central Government employees were allowed to be posted for the poll-related duties in Madurai (Central) constituency.

"In the event of the Election Commission of India not responding to this letter on or before September 30, 2006, the AIADMK party will have no option except to approach the Court for redressal," he said.

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