Cash for vote: City court convicts woman politico

CHENNAI: An AIADMK functionary in Chennai, who was caught red-handed while distributing cash to voters during the urban local body elections last year, was found guilty by a city court on bribery charges. But as she pleaded guilty and gave an undertaking that she would not repeat it, the court spared her jail time and only imposed a fine of Rs 5,000.

The election flying squad nabbed S Kala (48), an area functionary of the AIADMK, on the day of polling on February 19, 2022 near the primary school in Singaravelan Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur (ward 179). DMK’s Kayalvizhi Jayakumar won from the ward, while G Jamuna was the AIADMK candidate.

After being tipped off about cash distribution, the flying squad headed by K Hariharan, a superintendent engineer with Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board reached the school, and caught Kala with 100 both slips, voter list and Rs 5,000. Based on a complaint, Tiruvanmiyur police registered a case under section 171 (E) (bribery).

When the case came for final hearing before the Metropolitan Magistrate, Saidapet, last week, Kala confessed and promised not to indulge in such acts again, and pleaded with the court for lenience. “Considering that the accused is a woman and her age and family situation and the future of her children, the court is convinced that she need not be given jail time,” said Metropolitan Magistrate R Subramanian. The maximum jail time under the section is one year.

According to Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, such cases should be booked under Prevention of Corruption Act, which would attract more stringent punishment. “In fact, these kinds of fines might even act as an incentive as it might give the impression that one can get away with distributing cash for votes even if a case is booked. The punishment should act as a deterrent,” he said.