Call for re-polling in violence-hit booths

Thirumavalavan submitted a petition to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) stating that Dalits of Ponparappi were attacked and were stopped from voting by a gang that attacked them. Though he had already submitted a complaint to the District Returning Officer in Ariyalur there was no action in connection to his complaint.

After meeting the CEO, Thirumavalavan, speaking to reporters, said, “More than 200 Dalits were stopped from voting in polling booth No 281 in Ponparappi village, which is part of Kunnam state Assembly constituency in the Chidambaram Lok Sabha constituency, as a gang attacked Dalits and damaged their properties.”

He also said that out of 1,007 total voters in the booth there were 680 Dalit voters in the booth and the violence commenced in the morning when more than 20 pots, his symbol, was broken in front of the polling booths. Police were mute spectators to the violence, said Thirumavalavan.

He further said that the EC handles only election related issues but does not take necessary action on law and order issues because of which Dalits in Ponparappi could not vote.

Thirumavalavan quoted section 57 of Representation of Peoples Act and said, “According to the section if there is violence outside the polling booth re-polling should be conducted. Police FIR is the evidence for violence and so re-polling should be conducted.”

BSP demands action on Ariyalur district officials

Meanwhile, the representatives from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), on Monday, submitted a petition to the CEO demanding him to take action on District Electoral Officer (DEO), Superintendent of Police and other election related officials for not taking steps to prevent the Ponparappi violence.