With all nominations for the upcoming Parliamentary elections filed, election campaigns by various parties are in full swing across the District and State.
With all nominations for the upcoming Parliamentary elections filed, election campaigns by various parties are in full swing across the District and State.
Meanwhile, political parties and individuals have been caught on camera distributing cash to voters, while flying squads have been diligently keeping a watch on vehicles around-the-clock and confiscating cash or gold which do not have proper documents. Sadly, various political parties are fighting to buy votes by spending huge amounts of money on campaigns and do not care about flouting election rules.
Previously, a huge number of people attended election campaigns, but the trend today is that the public attend campaigns in very less numbers. Hence, politicians have resorted to giving away 100, 200, 300 rupee notes to people to attend their rallies and are even giving away Rs.1000 per person to round up people to attend campaigns.
“Although the Election Commission is taking various measures to conduct a fair election, it is proving to be otherwise," opine social activists.
The intelligence report issued when elections were announced cautioned that cash distribution would be excessive this time, to attract public akin to the RK Nagar election. Sources now say that cash distribution is rampant across 24 specific constituencies out of the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Especially in the constituencies where ex-ministers, heirs of Ministers and other prominent political leaders are contesting, it is reported that crores of rupees have been spent to win the elections by any means.
With information on illegal cash distribution out in the open now, the Election Commission along with flying squads are conducting searches in various places. 51 cases has been registered thus far in Coimbatore district for violating election rules.
Mettupalayam 9
Sulur 5
Kinathukadavu 10
Pollachi 11
Valparai 3
Coimbatore city 13
Total 51
In a campaign at the Pollachi Municipal Girls Higher Secondary School, held in support of the Pollachi AIADMK candidate Mahendran on April 2, duplicate rupee notes were distributed as a token to the pubic attending this campaign. Following this, the flying squad officials filed a complaint at the Pollachi (east) police station and the police registered a case under two sections against Manibarati, the Ex-Councillor, AIADMK from Pollachi.