The forthcoming election in Tamil Nadu's Vellore constituency have been cancelled Tuesday following recovery of huge amount of cash allegedly from a DMK candidate's office a few days ago. The constituency was scheduled to go to polls on April 18 in the second phase of parliamentary election.
Lok Sabha election in the Vellore constituency was cancelled Tuesday following recovery of huge amount of cash allegedly from a DMK candidate's office a few days ago. Polling in Vellore was scheduled to take on April 18 in the second phase of parliamentary election.
President Ram Nath Kovind rescended (cancelled or withdrew) the notification to hold the election to the seat based on the recommendation made by the poll panel Monday. Polling in Vellore was scheduled on April 18.
The EC took the decision after the district police had filed a complaint against the accused, Kathir Anand, as well as two party functionaries on the basis of a report from the Income Tax department on April 10.
Anand was charged under the Representation of the People Act for giving "wrong information" in his election affidavit filed along with his nomination papers, the police said. The other two, identified as Srinivasan and Damodaran, were booked under bribery charges.
The recommendation was sent to the legislative department of the law ministry Tuesday which issued the notification.
The Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer has now been informed about the decision. He will, in turn, inform the political parties and candidates about the notification, sources in the government said.
On March 30, Income Tax officials had conducted searches at the residence of Anand's father Durai Murugan over suspected use of unaccounted money for electioneering, and seized Rs. 10.50 lakh in alleged "excess" cash. Two days later, they claimed to have seized Rs 11.53 crore from a cement godown belonging to a DMK leader's associate in the same district.
Murugan, however, said that he had not concealed anything. Questioning the timing of the Income Tax department's operation, he had alleged that the raids were a "conspiracy" by certain political leaders who could not face them in the electoral arena.
According to the 2011 census data, Vellore houses a total of 1,80,000 people. The district has an average literacy rate of 87%.
Vellore Lok Sabha constituency 2019 candidates who were announced by the respective parties
AIADMK: AC Shanmugam (Founder of Puthiya Needhi Katchi)
DMK: DM Kathir Anan
Vellore Lok Sabha results in 2014, 2009 and 2004
2014: B Senguttuvan of the AIADMK received 383719 votes and he defeated AC Shanmugam of the BJP who only got 324326 votes.
2009: Abdul Rahman of the DMK received 360474 votes. He defeated LKMB Vasu of the ADMK who only got 253081 votes.
2004: Kader Mohideen of the DMK received 436642 votes. He defeated A Santhanam of the ADMK who secured only 258032 votes.
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