Chennai: DMK organizational secretary R.S. Bharathi has written a letter to the Election Commission demanding the immediate cancellation of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s list of star campaigners released for the by-elections in Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies.
The details contained in that letter: The Election Commission of India is a constitutional body committed to ensuring a free and fair electoral process. However, it has been reported that Manickam Tagore of the Congress, who is not associated with the TVK, Thirumavalavan of the VCK, Vanniarasu, MP Ravikumar, Chinthanai Selvan, Vaiko and Durai Vaiko of the MDMK, and K.M. Kader Mohideen of the IUML have been permitted as the party’s star campaigners.
Under Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the terms “leaders of a political party” and “persons belonging to that political party” are used, and their expenses are not included in the election expenditure account of individual candidates. According to these statutory provisions, a political party can appoint only its own leaders and office-bearers as star campaigners. There is no provision in law for one party to list the leaders or office-bearers of another recognized political party as its own star campaigners.
According to the guidelines issued from time to time by the Election Commission of India, a political party must list only its own party leaders to campaign for its candidates.
Even in the case of alliance parties, declaring the leader of one party as another party’s official “star campaigner” amounts to misuse of election expense exemptions.
When persons belonging to other parties are recognized as a party’s star campaigners, there is a risk that campaign expenses, including their travel and accommodation, will be unlawfully exempted instead of being debited against the election expenditure limits of the candidates in the respective constituencies.
This completely undermines the level playing field. I also want to emphasize here that this is entirely contrary to the Election Commission’s fundamental principle of conducting free and fair elections.
Therefore, the list of star campaigners of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, issued in violation of Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, should be withdrawn immediately. If leaders from other parties campaign for TVK candidates, orders should be issued to ensure that all related expenses are fully included in the election expense accounts of the respective candidates. Appropriate action should be taken against the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam under the Model Code of Conduct for submitting this list in violation of the legal provisions.
“Immediate action should be taken on this complaint to protect the democratic traditions of the Constitution and uphold election rules,” he said.