Karunanidhi accuses EC of dual stand on Code violations

Chennai, Apr 05 (UNI) The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies today accused the Election Commission of India (EC) of adopting a dual stand on stoppage of relief and welfare schemes announced before the model code of conduct came into force.

Talking to newspersons after chairing a meeting of the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA), its leader Mr Karunanidhi said if the Commission stopped free power scheme to farmers in Madhya Pradesh three months before the model code came into force for the 2004 Assembly elections, how could it allow Tamil Nadu to go ahead with the distribution of relief and welfare schemes.

In a resolution, the DPA alleged that state government officials, on the pretext of distributing relief, were blatantly violating the model code and demanded immediate action.

Mr Karunanidhi said he was not levelling any charge against the EC, but apprehended whether the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in the state, by his actions, would mar the fair name of the Commission.

If the EC took stern action against violators in Madhya Pradesh and in the recent Bihar Assembly poll, how could it remain silent when codes were violated in Tamil Nadu, the DMK leader asked.

The actions of Tamil Nadu officials posed a challenge to the EC's impartiality, he said and urged it to initiate immediate action.

The meeting, chaired by Mr Karunanidhi, was attended by TNCC chief M Krishnasamy, PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss, CPI(M) leader N Varadarajan, CPI leader D Pandian and IUML leader K M Kadher Mohideen.

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