DMK petitions EC seeking to restrain distribution of dole

Accusing ruling AIADMK of engaging its party men to distribute financial assistance only to its supporters, DMK organising secretary RS Bharati, in his memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner on Monday said that the move was purely aimed at getting electoral benefits.

He said the amount was being misused for the benefit of AIADMK workers and officer-bearers.

Drawing the Commission’s attention to the statement of AIADMK deputy propaganda secretary Vaigai Selvan in a public meeting that the financial assistance scheme would benefit the AIADMK in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, Bharati said, “It is clear that the payment of Rs 2,000 is nothing but an inducement to the voters to cast the votes to and in favour of the AIADMK, which is against level playing field in the forthcoming elections and also it is a penal offence.”

Bharati added that the Rs 2,000 scheme would not benefit the BPL families. 

“The amount under the scheme is being paid to the ruling party supporters, which is nothing but misusing of ex-chequer’s fund by the ruling AIADMK party for its political and electoral benefits and the same shall be immediately restrained to ensure fair-play in the general election,” the DMK petition said.

Charging the government with distributing forms to the beneficiaries only through AIADMK men, the DMK organising secretary also urged the EC to instruct the Chief Secretary of the state to follow the existing guidelines framed by the state and Central governments to identify the BPL families by adopting transparent process, including publication of names of BPL families, in the government website before distributingthe assistance.

Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court dismissed the petition demanding the stoppage of the scheme by the state government.