Sunday, April 10, 2011

Cash for votes: EC watching situation "closely"specially inTM incidents of distribution of cash or gifts to lure voters have been detected.Apr 10,2011

Cash for votes: EC watching situation "closely"

PTI | 09:04 PM,Apr 10,2011

Chennai, Apr 10 (PTI) Expressing ''serious concern'' over incidents of money being distributed to voters, the Election Commission today said it was watching the situation ''closely,'' and warned of stern action if the incidents repeated. "In some constituencies incidents of distribution of cash or gifts to lure voters have been detected. EC has viewed it with serious concern as not conducive to conduct of free and fair elections," Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar said in a release. The EC was watching the situation "closely and in case the incidents are repeated, it shall be constrained to take stern measures as may become necessary." Calling Tamil Nadu a "challenging case", the EC had said it cannot "close its eyes to rampant malpractices" there.It also rejected the charge levelled by DMK and PMK that it has imposed emergency in the state. The Commission has enforced stringent measures to curb use of money power in the current round of assembly elections in states, especially in Tamil Nadu, where there has been widespread attempts to bribe voters by paying them cash.

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