Lok Sabha election: Reports say EC has asked for Vellore polls to be cancelled after Rs 11.50 cr recovery; poll body denies claim

The Election Commission has said that no “order” has been issued by it so far regarding cancellation of Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore constituency after reports claimed that it has recommended polls in the seat be cancelled after cash amounting to Rs 11.50 crore was found in a warehouse linked to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham party’s candidate Kadhir Anand.

Vellore Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled to go to polls on 18 April, in the second phase of the General Election. News18 had reported that the poll body had sent its recommendation to President Ram Nath Kovind, who alone has the power to rescind permission for election as he is the one who signs the notification for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Election Commission’s recommendation, The Indian Express  reported , will be shared with the law ministry for its views on Tuesday. The report held that cancellation of polls in Vellore is a foregone conclusion as the President is traditionally bound to accept the poll body’s recommendation in cases like these.

However, the poll body’s official spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan said no such “order” has been issued yet. Sharan did not comment on whether the recommendation had been issued, however.

It is also not clear if Assembly bypolls will take place in the two seats of Ambur and Gudiyattam, which fall within the Vellore Lok Sabha seat.

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The Income Tax department, along with Election Commission officials had conducted raids at DMK leader Durai Murugan’s house in Vellore on the night of 29 March. Kingston Engineering College and Durai Murugan BEd College, which are owned by Murugan’s son Kadhir Anand, were also being raided by officials in Katpadi.

The DMK has fielded Kadhir Anand from Vellore, against AIADMK leader AC Shanmugam.

The I-T department had submitted a report in this regard on 10 April. Based on the report, the district police have filed a complaint against Anand and two DMK workers, Srinivasan and Damodaran, reported NDTV.

Anand has been charged under the Representation of People Act for giving “wrong information” in his election affidavit filed along with his nomination papers, police told NDTV.

DMK has said the raids were politically motivated. Durai Murugan approached the Madras High Court on Monday and said that because of the ongoing raids, Anand has not been able to campaign.

With inputs from ANI