The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Andipatti panchayat union poll postponed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Andipatti panchayat union poll postponed

Staff Reporter

Returning officer, assistant returning officer on leave; police fire teargas shells to disperse mob

THENI: Election to the post of president of the Andipatti panchayat union council was postponed on Monday in the absence of the returning officer and the assistant returning officer.

Irked by the development, All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam workers picketed the Theni-Madurai main road.

The AIADMK councillors assembled at the union office at 9.20 a.m. A large number of police personnel were deployed near the office to keep the crowd at bay. Only councillors were allowed into the area.

Soon, DMK district secretary L. Mookiah, along with his party councillors and supporters, reached the office. Fearing abduction of councillors, the AIADMK cadres too congregated before the office. Heated arguments followed.

Election officials told the AIADMK councillors that the poll was postponed as returning officer Murugesan and assistant returning officer Adimoolam were on leave. The AIADMK councillors, Led by Rajya Sabha MP Thangathamizhselvan, began a sit-in, demanding immediate conduct of the election.

When the police asked them to go away, unidentified persons threw stones, damaging the front panes of a State Transport Corporation bus and the rear glass pane of Superintendent of Police Najmul Hoda's car. Both party workers and police personnel were injured.

When the situation turned worse, the police fired six rounds of teargas shells and resorted to a lathi charge. Eight AIADMK workers were injured and hospitalised. Around 56 persons, including Mr. Thangathamizhselvan, were arrested.

Mr. Thangathamizhselvan alleged that postponement was a "conspiracy" involving the police and the district administration.

In the 19-member Andipatti union council, the DMK has seven councillors, the AIADMK six and the MDMK two.

With the support of Independents and the MDMK, the AIADMK fielded Malarvizhi (Independent) for chairperson.

On a plea from Ms. Malarvishi, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had directed the police to provide full protection for the conduct of the election.

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