TIRUCHY: Poll officials stopped the state general body meeting of a farmers' association in Tiruchy on Thursday, citing that the huge gathering was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, and the farmers who had organised the meeting stopped it midway, passing the resolution.

Tamil Nadu River and Ayagutdars Association scheduled its state general body meeting at a private hall in Tiruchy on Thursday to discuss its annual plan of action, pass a resolution and send certain demands to the political parties.

When the meeting was going on, a team of election officials went to the meeting hall and asked them to discontinue the meeting. When the association president, P Viswanathan, appealed to the officials for a little time to conclude the event, which was planned a long time back, the officials had reportedly refused the appeal.

Subsequently, the meeting was completed in a short time after passing a few resolutions, including the new state government to initiate proper legal steps to prevent the construction of a dam across Mekedatu by the Karnataka government, control the increasing input cost, proper maintenance of water bodies and loan waiver.

“This meeting was planned very early, and the members from across the state took part in it, but the officials, citing the MCC in place, asked us to stop the meeting. Though our association is non-political, we had to accept the instructions of the officials, and so within a short while, the meeting was concluded, and the officials stayed till we left the hall,” Viswanathan said.