Election code of conduct enforcers on Saturday seized a lorry which contained a large hoard of election publicity material, mostly expensive colour posters, suspected to be printed in Tamil Nadu.
Officials said the documents seized from the vehicle bearing Tamil Nadu registration number plates showed the posters had been printed in Sivakasi in Virudhanagar district as early as March 28.
They said the posters “incorrectly” displayed the name of a press in the city and the publicity material was addressed to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in the district. The police have detained the lorry crew.
The District Election Office (DEO) has sought the help of the District Collector, Virudhanagar, to locate the Sivakasi-based printer to unearth the source and the channel through which he or she was compensated.
On Friday, election observers had reported to their higher-ups that unaccounted money played a major role in campaigning and that certain printing presses and advertisement agencies, including several in Sivakasi, appeared to benefit most from what they termed “gross violations” of Election Commission of India (ECI) norms.
The DEO, on Saturday, issued a notice to a set of candidates stating that they were “not following” the directions of the ECI regarding the holding of public meetings. It said that certain political parties/candidates held meetings without sanction of the Returning Officer (RO) concerned and the police as mandated by the ECI.
It said that the State's cost of removing posters, hoardings and banners put up at public places would be included in the expenditure account of the candidate.
Officials said the documents seized from the vehicle bearing Tamil Nadu registration number plates showed the posters had been printed in Sivakasi in Virudhanagar district as early as March 28.
They said the posters “incorrectly” displayed the name of a press in the city and the publicity material was addressed to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in the district. The police have detained the lorry crew.
The District Election Office (DEO) has sought the help of the District Collector, Virudhanagar, to locate the Sivakasi-based printer to unearth the source and the channel through which he or she was compensated.
On Friday, election observers had reported to their higher-ups that unaccounted money played a major role in campaigning and that certain printing presses and advertisement agencies, including several in Sivakasi, appeared to benefit most from what they termed “gross violations” of Election Commission of India (ECI) norms.
The DEO, on Saturday, issued a notice to a set of candidates stating that they were “not following” the directions of the ECI regarding the holding of public meetings. It said that certain political parties/candidates held meetings without sanction of the Returning Officer (RO) concerned and the police as mandated by the ECI.
It said that the State's cost of removing posters, hoardings and banners put up at public places would be included in the expenditure account of the candidate.
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