LS polls: Flying squad official in Nilgiris suspended for laxity in checking DMK leader A Raja's car

CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended the Flying Squad Team (FST) chief Geetha on the alleged charges of lapses while checking the DMK candidate A Raja's vehicle

"There have been certain media reports regarding laxity in checking of a cavalcade of Thiru A Raja, the candidate from DMK party, at an inter state check post near Coonoor-Kerala. Based on the media reports and subsequent enquiry by returning officer, the Nilgiris, as also the expenditure observer, head of the flying squad team Geetha has been suspended as lapses were found in performance of election duties," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Satyabrata Sahoo said on Saturday.

Stating that The entire FST team has been replaced, the CEO said the expenditure observer also visited the spot and made enquiries and he also viewed the two videos recorded by the Video Surveillance Teams (VST).

Claiming that both the press video as well as the VST videos show casual and superficial checking, he said the other cars in the cavalcade were not checked at all.

He said that the Commission has taken a serious note of the soft approach towards a prominent candidate. "All political parties and candidates will be dealt with firmly, if found to be violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) guidelines issued by ECI for a level playing field in ensuring free and fair elections," he added.

Meanwhile sources with the public election department said that the surveillance has been intensified across the state to monitor movement of unaccounted cash and freebies. In case of commercial hubs like T Nagar and Parrys, movement of textiles, utensils and freebies are also monitorred to ensure free and fair polls, sources said.