Vote as per conscience: EC to voters

As Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry go to assembly polls tomorrow, the Election Commission (EC) today asked the electorate to vote as per their "conscience and without any inducement".

"Please go by your conscience. Vote without fear. Vote without any inducement," the commission said in an appeal to voters in the three southern states.

The commission said its machinery has worked day and night over the last many months to make it possible for the voters to vote "freely and fairly".

The EC's appeal comes in the backdrop of Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi terming the conduct of assembly polls in Tamil Nadu a "challenging" one in view of incidents of distribution of money.

"We are enforcing expenditure control measures in great detail in these elections to check the role of money power. Tamil Nadu has been a challenging case. But we are doing our best and will not allow any let up," he had said.

"Tomorrow, what is on offer for you is perhaps the best gift of our country to her citizens. It is the choice to elect your representative and your government," the EC said.

The commission asked the voters not to forget to take the Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to the polling booth or other prescribed documents if they have not received the EPIC cards.

The EC said voters "must come out and press the button of your own future and carry home the ink mark of personal pride on your finger".