EC has got complaints on office of profit issue: Tandon

Pondicherry, Mar 27: The Election Commission (EC) has received complaints of 19 MPs and 32 MLAs holding ''office of profit,'' which are under the process of hearing, Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon said here today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Tandon said of the MLAs, 12 were from Himachal Pradesh, 19 from Jharkand and one from Uttar Pradesh.

On the issue of five Pondicherry MLAs holding office of profit, he said the matter was brought to the notice of the commission by some political parties.

But the issue had to be taken to the notice of the Lt Governor who should foward the case to the EC.

He said the visit of the full Commission was to review the poll preparedness in the union territory. They held meetings with political parties, election and police officials.

Several political parties had given their suggestions, which would be duly considered, he said.

There were about 6.5 lakh voters in the union territory, which will have 703 polling booths.

Auxillary booths would be set up in booths with more than 1,400 voters, he added.

Mr Tandon said for the first time in Pondicherry, photo electoral rolls will be used in all the constituencies. He further clarified that except in Assam, EPIC would be used in all other states going to polls. However, 100 per cent coverage can be ensured only in Kerala and Pondicherry, he added. As many as 14 poll observers would be deputed to the union territory of which three each would cover Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam region with the remaining covering Pondicherry region.

There would be extensive vigilance on polling and counting days and digital cameras would be installed in hypersensitive booths, which were being identified. Adequate Central forces would be deployed for the polls.

Mr Tandon said the Commission had received as many as 6,000 complaints of deletion of names of genuine voters of which 2,400 had been inquired into and 1,400 found to be genuine and included in the list.

He said 34 cases of violation of model code of conduct were received in Pondicherry and cases registered. Police were asked to prepare a list of habitual offenders and any police officer found to be partial would be severly dealt with.

Earlier, representatives of several political parties submitted representation to the commission. While many of them urged the Commission to set the anomalies right in the voters list, the AIADMK representatives urged the Commission to initiate action against a DMK leader who tresspassed into the Election Office here and initiate action against five MLAs holding office of profit.

They also urged the EC to permit graffiti with permission from the concerned persons.

The BJP representatives asked the Commission to ensure booth slips were issued by the Election Department itself since there was chance of political parties luring the voters by giving money along with the slips.

UNI