R K Nagar bypoll: Anti-corruption activists on black money prowl

By R Sivakumar  |  Express News Service  |   Published: 30th November 2017 02:23 AM  |  

Last Updated: 30th November 2017 10:38 AM

RK Nagar bypoll was called of due to reported malpractices (File | EPS)

CHENNAI: Bribing of voters in the December 21 RK Nagar bypolls may not be as easy this time around, as anti-corruption activists intend to act as force multipliers for the Election Commission of India (ECI) that is pulling out all stops to check the flow of black money into the constituency.

Volunteers of Arappor Iyakkam will be secretly watching parties and their candidates employing illegal methods to woo the voters and expose them before the electorate. “We will dispatch our observers to closely monitor the situation in RK Nagar so that we record and document irregularities indulged in by parties and candidates,” convener of Arappor Iyakkam Jayaram Venkatesan told Express.

He said his organisation had documented poll code violations during the polls in April before it was cancelled. Jayaram said, “We had exposed the asset undervaluation in the poll affidavits filed by T T V Dhinakaran, Marudhu Ganesh and E Madhusudanan and submitted our findings to the ECI. It is still pending before them.”

The April bypoll was countermanded due to large-scale voter bribing. The ECI has already announced a series of stringent measures to check the influence of money power in the constituency. “We are going to install CCTVs at about 200 vital points across the constituency. This will help us keep a close watch on the situation on the ground and check distribution of cash or gifts to voters,” said Rajesh Lakhoni, Chief Electoral Officer, TN.

A contingent of 30 officials from the Income Tax department will also be deployed in RK Nagar to track movement of cash and subsequent action. Restricting movement of outside vehicles is another step to arrest the free flow of cash and materials meant for alluring the voters. A survey held by the authorities revealed that the constituency has a vehicle population of 10,200 two-wheelers and 5,078 cars.

Lakhoni said, “All these vehicles will be issued duly attested passes so that they can move freely in the constituency. Other vehicles will be subjected to checks and may have to obtain permission.” This will serve twin purposes: to decongest the roads and check unhindered entry of outsiders.