By IANS
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Friday lambasted the Election Commission after results of the Madurai West assembly by-elections were declared here, saying the poll panel had "put hurdles" in the way of fair polling in the constituency.
Congress candidate K.S.K. Rajendran, backed by the ruling DMK, won the by-election held Tuesday, routing the AIADMK by over 31,000 votes.
The election was a prestige issue for the DMK as Madurai and other southern districts are the strongholds of DMK patriarch Karunanidhi's son M.K. Azhagiri.
In a statement, the DMK chief said the poll panel had ordered the transfer of 176 police personnel, including two assistant commissioners.
On June 13, the Election Commission had recommended the transfer of the Madurai collector, Madurai Central election officer who was also the revenue divisional officer (RDO) of the district, the city's police commissioner, deputy commissioner (law and order) and two other police officials, for allowing more than five people to accompany the candidate while filing nomination papers.
"In the electoral history of India, such an action has never been taken," Karunanidhi said.
The government transferred all the officials within 24 hours "without a murmur", he said.
The poll panel did not wait for the government to recommend the name for the post of police commissioner and appointed an officer on its own, Karunanidhi alleged.
The Election Commission also prohibited the state police from being on duty at the polling booths. Only central forces were allowed on duty, he said.
"The chief electoral officer of the state (Naresh Gupta) went even to the extent of enquiring how 85 percent of votes were cast in some booths," Karunanidhi complained.