Tamil Nadu Police on Monday registered two cases against BJP state chief K Annamalai for violating the model code of conduct. The cases have been registered under sections 143, 286, 341 and 290 of the IPC for alleged violation of the election code of conduct. Tamil Nadu is scheduled to go to polls in a single phase on April 19.
According to the state BJP chief, he switched off the lights of his campaign van and also switched off the mike at exactly 9:58 pm. But he greeted the people who had been standing for several hours to see him from the vehicle. During the greeting session, the police team seized his vehicle leading to BJP supporters staging a dharna.
Annamalai alleged that the police took this action on the instructions of the DMK government to harass him while he was following all the rules of the Election Commission. The cases have been registered at Sulur and Singanallur police stations respectively, the police informed. Annamalai is contesting from Coimbatore.
A few days ago, a case was registered against Annamalai and a few members of his party over an alleged poll campaign time violation. DMK workers and their allies, the Left parties, objected to BJP members campaigning beyond the Election Commission’s stipulated time on Thursday (April 11) night and this led to a quarrel between the two parties at Avarampalayam area, police said.
Lok Sabha elections 2024
The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, the world’s biggest election exercise, will kick off on April 19 with the counting of votes set to take place on June 4 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes a bid for a third consecutive term in office.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said over 97 crore voters – 49.7 crore males and 47.1 crore females – were eligible to cast their vote in the polling process spread over 44 days and across 10.5 lakh polling booths. The elections will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
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