By IANS,
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi Friday charged the Election Commission of India with not acting in an impartial manner and working to bring the opposition to power in the state.
Addressing an election rally in Tiruchirapalli, around 335 km from Chennai, Karunanidhi said: “The election commission officials seem to want the opposition to come to power in Tamil Nadu.”
Terming it a worrying factor that Madras High Court has made strong observations on the functioning of the election commission, he said the poll panel is supposed to function in an impartial manner and hoped it would do so after the high court’s order.
The DMK chief’s outburst at the poll panel follows the sudden transfer orders issued by the panel for the district collectors of Madurai, Vellore, Theni and Erode.
The election commission has also ordered transfer of the inspector general of police for south Tamil Nadu, the deputy inspector general of Dindigul, commissioners of police of Madurai and Chennai suburban and superintendents of police of Madurai and Thiruvanamallai districts.
The High Court had Wednesday come down heavily on the election commission for checking vehicles and seizing cash. In an interim order, the court directed the poll panel to carry out such checks only if it has specific information that cash is being carried for distribution to voters.
The court also questioned the election commission on the transfer of officials without consulting the state government.
Tamil Nadu is going to polls April 13 to elect a new 234-member assembly.