BJP man approaches HC for investigation into water users assn polls

CHENNAI: A Tirupur-based BJP member filed a petition before the Madras High Court seeking a probe into the irregularities that occurred in the election of office bearers for the Dharapuram region in the Tirupur district.

In his affidavit, Sukumar Subramanian, district vice president, BJP, said that the authorities who had conducted the elections for all the 31 water users associations in Dharapuram taluk had staged a mockery of democracy by strangulating the election process.

The petitioner submitted that as per Section 5 of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Management of Irrigation System Act, 2000, there should be a management committee for all the water users Association to benefit the farmers and restrain people from misusing the water.

“District Collector is empowered to conduct the election for the management committee. For the Dharapuram area, R Kumaresan, revenue divisional officer, Dharapuram, was the election officer for elections conducting elections for the post of president and others in the 31 water users association. During the scrutiny of nomination papers on March 8, the election officials rejected nominations filed by the people who are not members of the ruling party. He did not even reveal the reason for rejection of nomination, ” the petitioner said.

He further stated that his father filed a nomination for the post of president of Uppar Dam – Thoppampatti village water users’ association.

"My father's nomination was also rejected to do favors for the members of the ruling party. Therefore, a special investigation team headed by a retired judge should be formed to probe the anti-democratic activities of the officer who conducted the election for the 31 water users associations in the Dharapuram region, ” he said.

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