CHENNAI: The DMK has flayed the State Election Commission, accusing it of sharing information with the ruling party even before it has formally announced the local body polls. The DMK made the allegation even as State Election Commissioner S Ayyar told reporters that the allotment of constituencies under various quotas was the prerogative of the State government.In a statement from the DMK HQ, organising secretary TKS Elangovan said the fact the AIADMK has already announced its list of candidates for the civic polls has given rise to confusion and doubt among other parties that the State Election Commission could be sharing information with the ruling party beforehand. “That the AIADMK has announced its candidates for the local body elections even before the State Election Commission has announced which seats have been reserved for SC/ST and which seats for women has created confusion among other political parties,” said Elangovan. “Our party’s lawyers have already submitted a petition to the State Election Commissioner that he is leaning towards the AIADMK. The current context only seems to prove the allegation,” he added.Speaking later in the day, DMK chief M Karunanidhi took the same line as Elangovan. “They are the ruling party. They have been told which are the general constituencies, which are the ones reserved and which ones are for women. This information has been withheld from other parties,” Karunanidhi said. Responding to the DMK’s allegations, the State Election Commission clarified that its role was solely preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections, and that its prerogative stretched no further. Hence, there is no question of leaking such information to the ruling party, said a source at the SEC.
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