CEO reviews Lok Sabha election preparations 

Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo who had conducted a preliminary meeting with police and revenue officials also passed instructions to the state machinery on effective implementation of model code of conduct in Vellore district where polls are scheduled for August 5.

According to public election department sources, Vellore polls were rescinded by the EC after the large seizure of cash aimed to induce voters. While the dates are now changed there will not be any change or bar for the candidates who were already in the fray.

The CEO has reviewed the safety and security parameters of 1,553 polling stations to be set up in Vellore and the district at the time of polling and counting will be covered by a three-tier security system led by Central paramilitary force, election department sources said.

Regular video conferences with district election officer, Vellore district police and officials attached to Income Tax and Central Excise has been planned for the next few weeks. Based on the instruction from public election department, the state government had also been asked to suspend new projects and share the details of the ongoing projects.

According to informed Secretariat sources, DMK leader Duraimurugan, who is a native of Vellore constituency had already questioned about the announcements made by state Ministers in the ongoing Assembly session that are related to Vellore district.

Responding to this Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has instructed the state Ministers to delete the schemes related to Vellore from their announcements and policy notes. However, the announcements related to Vellore will be published separately after the conduct of Lok Sabha polls in Vellore, the official explained.