Photo-electoral rolls for TN by 2009: Gopalsamy

Chennai, Aug 1 (UNI) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalsamy today said the photo-electoral rolls for Tamil Nadu would be issued by January 1, 2007.

In a brief interacton with newspersons before sitting down for a review meeting with the state election commission officials at Raj Bhavan here, he said the byelection to Madurai Central constituency has to be held before November 19.

Asked if the bypoll would be held along with the civic polls, he said, ''Both have no connection. There is time to hold the Madurai Central bypoll till November 19.'' Talking about the progress on delimitation work of constituencies in Tamil Nadu, he said, ''In Tamil Nadu the work was still in the preliminary stage. Only the Chairman of the Delimitation Commission can say anything on the subject,''he added.

Mr Gopalsamy said today's review meeting would discuss the progress made for preparing the draft voters' list and the final list in the Madurai Central constituency and the issue of photo identity cards.

He said 74 per cent voters in Tamil Nadu have been issued photo identity cards.

Discussing the issue Mr Gopalsamy said percentage of issuance of photo identity cards to voters was lowest in New Delhi. Whereas it was 100 per cent in Kerala, Goa and in the union territory of Pondicherry.

He said the EC wished that by 2009 every voter of the country must have the photo identity card.

He, however, chose not to say anything on former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa's charge that government servants employed for poll duty during the assembly elections had cast 30 to 60 votes for DMK in every booth.

''This is all speculation. I don't want to say anything. We will take action if there are specific complaints,'' he said.

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