EC revokes poll in 2 TN seats, says voters bribed

New Delhi, May 28 

In a first, the Election Commission today recommended cancelling poll in two Tamil Nadu Assembly seats following evidence of use of money to influence voters, saying the atmosphere was “seriously vitiated” to hold the democratic exercise at this stage.

Cash worth over Rs 8 crore was seized from these constituencies. The authorities also recovered over 2,500 litres of liquor besides silverware, dhotis and saris meant for voters. This is the first time that the election panel has recommended cancellation of poll because of voters being bribed, the EC said.

Asking Governor K Rosaiah to cancel the notification regarding holding of elections in the Aravkurichi and Thanjavur constituencies, the commission said it would recommend to the Governor a revised schedule for fresh elections in due course of time.

The EC said Rosaiah’s ‘observation’ that the postponement of elections would deprive the members to be elected to vote in the coming Rajya Sabha elections “is an extraneous consideration inasmuch as the members elected on the basis of an election which is not free and fair would not be true representatives of the electors.” — PTI