Nod sought to campaign against poll bribery

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the direction while disposing of a petition moved by Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam represented by its secretary V Easwaran, who sought a direction to the SEC and Election Officer to allow a campaign against cash-for-votes in and around Coimbatore city.

Appearing for the petitioner, advocate KN Ponnusamy said the SEC and Election Officer rejected permission even as many parties are violating election rules. The outfit was planning to campaign with not more than five people in a group, much less than the SEC cap of 20 people, he added.

The petitioner added that the SEC and Election Officer rejected the application without even sending a show-cause notice. “Candidates spending huge money to bribe voters to get elected cannot do anything good for the people. Offering people material inducements for their votes is against the law, and such bribery is a blight on our democracy and perverts the very purpose of the elections,” Easwaran submitted through his counsel.

Recording his submissions, the bench held that as the norms for campaign have been relaxed, the respondents should take a call on the petitioner’s representation dated February 1 within two days.