Permit postal ballot till 6 am on May 23, DMK urges ECI

In his representation, copy of which was circulated to the media, DMK organising secretary R S Bharati referred to the two representations his party had made in this regard earlier, and said, “We have been informed by our party parliamentary and assembly candidates as well some office bearers of JACTTO-GEO that the ROs of all constituencies did not keep ballot box to drop the election duty staff’s postal ballots.”

“Those election duty staff are directed by the ROs of all constituencies to post their postal ballots through the postal department only. This is how the election duty staff are denied to exercise their franchise,” Bharati said.

“Enquiries with our party candidates of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies reveal that they are not furnished with FORMAT – 3 by the ROs concerned. ROs so far have not complied the instruction of hand book of ROs. It is mandatory duty of your office to supervise and see that the ROs are complying with the provisions of all the election laws and the instructions of EC, as part of free and fair election,” Bharati who is also a Rajya Sabha MP said, stressing upon the commission to direct the ROs to keep exclusive ballot box to the election duty staff to drop their postal ballots according to their convenience till 6 am on May 23 at ROs office with proper security.