DMK slams EC for submission in Supreme Court

CHENNAI: Coming down heavily on the Election Commission (EC) for its submission in the Supreme Court "supporting" AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa, the DMK on Tuesday said people should ponder over whether the EC was an organization for all or an 'AIADMK branch'.

The Election Commission on Monday had informed the Apex Court that no case of alleged malpractices was made out against AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa during the 2001 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

DMK treasurer Arcot N Veerasamy said the EC was a non-partisan body and should provide justice to all. "If such a body went to the Apex Court to say that Jayalalithaa had not committed any mistake, what answer would the EC give to the suspicions of common man about its neutrality?" he asked.

He said the Madras High Court had directed the EC to file cases against Jayalalithaa for furnishing false information that she did not file nominations for more than two assembly seats. Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy had ordered the returning officers of Bhuvanagiri and Pudukottai to file cases against her, which were pending in courts.

The EC, which sought some clarifications from the Madras High Court after filing cases against her, had now stated before the Supreme Court that she had not committed any mistake, he said and sought to know what the necessity for the EC to support Jayalalithaa was.