LS polls 2014: Illegal cash distribution seemingly underway in Chennai

CHENNAI: Despite Election Commissions efforts to check bribing of voters, cash distribution seems to have begun on a large scale across Chennai in the build-up to polls on April 24.

Voters in Central Chennai constituency, where former Union minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran and AIADMK's S R Vijayakumar are contesting, have started receiving tiffin boxes containing Rs 2,000 from party cadres. And both parties have filed complaints accusing each other of luring voters with money.

The poll panel has begun a probe and filed FIRs in one of the cases brought to their notice by AIADMK. Sources said the distribution of money began four days back. "This time, it is being arranged in a way that will prevent major cash seizures. Local leaders have assigned the job to people who are not directly connected to the party. Each of them is asked to distribute the cash to 50 families over a day or two. Even if he or she gets caught, it's difficult to trace it back to the party and the amount seized would not be considerable," said a police officer in the intelligence branch.

Tamil Nadu has the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of seizures of money and gifts meant for distribution among voters over the past few elections.

The EC has kept flying squads on their toes across the state. But enterprising party workers are finding loopholes and the poll panel, short on manpower, is finding it difficult to cover every corner.

A welder in a shanty settlement in Chintadripet in Central Chennai said he was surprised when a woman representative of a local self-help group knocked at his door early in the morning and handed over a tiffin box.

"She presented the box containing Rs 2,000 and asked us to vote for a Dravidian party," the welder told TOI.

Similar responses came from the Teynampet area. "At least 40 families in my locality received tiffin boxes with currency. The amount varies from one family to another depending on the number of votes. They have gifted between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 per vote," K Ramani, a milk vendor said.

A few days back, AIADMK lodged a complaint with the returning officer for Chennai Central alleging that DMK functionaries were distributing stainless steel tiffin-boxes with currency inside them. DMK refuted the allegations, and on Sunday, accused AIADMK of doing the same. A complaint has been lodged with the state's chief electoral officer Praveen Kumar.