83 candidates’ nominations accepted after scrutiny

COIMBATORE: After scrutiny, the nomination papers of 83 candidates have been accepted in the bypolls for Erode East Assembly constituency.

A total of 96 candidates filed 121 nomination papers for the bypolls to be held on February 27. A scrutiny of the nomination papers was done by by-election General Observer Raj Kumar Yadav and Returning Officer K Siva Kumar in the presence of other election officials, candidates and their agents on Wednesday.

After scrutiny, 38 nomination papers, which were found to be incomplete, without signatures and proposers were rejected by the election officials, while 83 nominations have been accepted. The nomination papers filed by alternative candidates on behalf of the contestants from recognised political parties were also dismissed.

Strikingly, the nomination papers filed by AIADMK’s deposed leader O Panneerselvam’s candidate B Senthil Murugan has been rejected, as it was not duly filled up. He had filed two nomination papers and both were rejected citing incomplete information. OPS had earlier announced withdrawal his candidate from the bypolls.

Returning Officer K Siva Kumar said that the candidates can withdraw their nominations till 3 pm on Friday. “Thereafter, symbols will be allotted for independent candidates,” he added.

As of now, only AMMK’s candidate is expected to withdraw from the contest due to non-allocation of pressure cooker symbol. A few other independents may also opt out of the race. Still, it may require three to four voting machines (each ballot unit has provisions for 16 contestants) to accommodate all the candidates in the fray.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has issued a list of 191 symbols to be allotted for independent candidates, while candidates of recognised political parties from Congress, AIADMK, DMDK and Naam Tamilar Katchi will be allotted with their party symbols based on their request.