An Assistant Expenditure Observer in the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency has raised serious allegations against Returning Officer M Aruna, accusing her of bias and favoritism towards DMK Candidate A Raja. In a petition addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer, Saravanan, the assistant expenditure observer has sought the intervention of the Election Commission to ensure a fair election process in Nilgiris.
The petitioner claims that Aruna has been actively attempting to manipulate accounting procedures to benefit A Raja, and alleges facing difficulties for not aligning with the Returning Officer’s bias towards the DMK candidate.
According to the assistant expenditure observer, there is a significant disparity between the expenditures recorded in the Shadow Observation Register of their team and the candidate A Raja’s official book of accounts. He alleges that Aruna has been pressuring him to decrease the recorded expenditure of A Raja, indicating a clear attempt to influence the election in favor of the DMK candidate.
Speaking out against the alleged harassment, Saravanan stated, “The expenditure booked in the shadow observation register of our team differs significantly from the book of accounts of the candidate A Raja (DMK). To decrease the recorded expenditure, the Returning Officer is repeatedly harassing me and personally scrutinizing every expenditure of that particular candidate, speaking on behalf of the candidate and attempting to control the accounting procedure in favor of A Raja.”
The assistant expenditure observer further detailed instances of coercion and intimidation by Aruna, claiming that on 9 April 2024, all records of A Raja’s expenditures were forcefully taken to her camp office, and the Shadow Observer Register, crucial for monitoring election expenditures, was confiscated. Saravanan alleges that he was threatened with dire consequences if any adverse actions were taken against A Raja due to expenditure bookings.
“In the higher order of misuse of her power, on 9 April 2024, all the records of that candidate were called up to her camp office and the shadow observer register (the heart and soul of the election expenditure watching) was forcefully received from me and photocopies and further she warned me to act under her control and not for the observer. Further, she intimated that I would be killed if any adverse things happened to that candidate because of the expenditure booking. And ordered me to find ways for that candidate’s favour to reduce the booked expenditure by setting aside all other prime duties entrusted to me,” Saravanan said in the letter.
In his letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Saravanan highlighted the misuse of power by the Returning Officer and urged for immediate action to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in Nilgiris.
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