No plaint about ‘power cuts to bribe voters’: Sahoo

Addressing reporters on the side lines of an election commission-sponsored open quiz competition here on Wednesday, the CEO said that a confidential report comprising inputs from the Income Tax and district election departments has been forwarded to the Election Commission of India regarding cash seizures made in Vellore recently. The Commission was taking all possible steps to curb bribing of voters, he added.

Regarding suspicion that power cuts were being imposed in Chennai to ‘facilitate’ political parties induce voters, Sahoo said that the Commission was yet to receive a complaint in that regard. If specific complaints were lodged then the EC would take necessary action, he said while urging the public to ensure cent per cent voting in TN.

He also congratulated the winners of the ‘first of its kind’ election quiz programme organised by Goal Quiz and urged the students to exercise their franchise without fail on April 18. The election department also displayed a model polling station in Anna University.

Earlier, the EC issued a notification for the media houses on restrictions that will apply for publication of poll surveys. The ECI stated that between 7 am on April 11 and 6.30 pm on May 19 no exit poll could be conducted and publishing or publicising by means of the print or electronic media or dissemination in any other manner would be prohibited.

Whatsoever, the result of any exit poll in connection with the current Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls, shall be prohibited, the notification read.