Election Commission of India seeks Lakhoni’s report on Income Tax raids

Lakhoni, who is likely to leave for New Delhi on Sunday, has been instructed to reply before Monday by the ECI, which on Saturday held a detailed discussion on RK Nagar by-election after reportedly receiving a report from Income Tax department on the raids conducted in places belonging to various AIADMK functionaries, especially Health Minister Dr C Vijayabhaskar.

Director (Expenditure) ECI, Vikram Batra, who has been deputed as special electoral officer to RK Nagar, was also understood to have taken part in the discussion at the national capital.

By Saturday evening, all but the ruling AIADMK were apprehensive of the conduct of the by-poll as per schedule, more so after media reports revealed seizure of alleged evidence from Vijaya Baskar’s residence about the ruling party bribing voters.