Don't have faith in machinery conducting elections in R.K. Nagar: AIADMK

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Tuesday said it doesn't have faith in the machinery conducting elections in R.K. Nagar, adding that in the wake of that they have demanded to constitute addition forces.

"We don't have faith in machinery conducting elections in Tamil Nadu. We have demanded to constitute central forces immediately into place," said MP V. Maitreyan.

He further said that they have raised their concerns in front of the Election Commission of India and have mentioned issues pertaining to the RK Nagar by-polls.

Earlier, the Election Commission ordered the transfer of Chennai Police Commissioner S. George ahead of the R.K. Nagar by-polls.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had filed a petition for the Police Commissioner's transfer to ensure free and fair polls to the R.K. Nagar assembly constituency.

Karan Sinha, who was posted as the Additional Director General of Police in CB-CID, has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner.

A delegation comprising DMK MPs T.K.S. Elangovan, R.S. Bharathi and Tiruchi Siva had filed a petition before the Election Commission earlier on March 17.

The DMK MPs had in the petition said that S. George could influence polling in favour of the ruling AIA DMK.

On the other hand, the Election Commission freezes the AIADMK's party symbol ' two leaves' after both AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala and former Tamil Nadu chief minister O. Panneerselvam fractions claimed for it.

The Election Commission allotted 'hat' to Saikala faction while electricity pole was given to the camp of Panneerselvam.

"Neither of the two groups shall be permitted to use the symbol 'Two Leaves' of the AIADMK," the Election Commission stated.

Earlier, Sasikala-led AIADMK faction filed a petition before the commission staking claim to the party's symbol.

Panneerselvam-led group had last week claimed that the party symbol rightfully belonged to it as Sasikala's election as the AIADMK general secretary was 'invalid and illegal'.

The tussle over party symbol began in view of the by-elections to the R.K. Nagar assembly constituency in Chennai on April 12. The constituency was held by late former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.