Top EC official in Chennai amid overflowing complaints about RK Nagar bypoll

The Election Commission on Thursday tightened the screws on the by-election to the RK Nagar Assembly constituency, scheduled for April 12, by putting in place more measures to ensure free and fair polls.

Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha met election officials and police officers and reviewed arrangements in Chennai on Thursday.

He along with senior officers held meetings with representatives of 10 recognised political parties in the State.

AIADMK Amma senior leader and Minister C Ve Shanmugam said, "We had complained about the blatant violations of the Election Commission order by AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma five days ago and there has not been any action on that yet. They are trying to manipulate the voters with the symbol. We raised the issue with the Deputy Election Commissioner."

Soon after his arrival, Sinha held a meeting with election observers.

Later, he held discussions with Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni, DEOs, State government and senior police officials,expenditure and other department authorities, following the opposition DMK's allegation and complaints of alleged distribution of money to the voters by the candidate of one of the AIADMK factions.

Meanwhile, AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) leader O Panneerselvam on Wednesday alleged that if T.T.V. Dhinakaran, the AIADMK (Amma) candidate in Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency managed to win in the byelection, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami would certainly be asked to step down to make way for Dhinakaran.