N. Gopalaswami contradicts Jayalalithaa's attack over poll expenses

Former Election Commissioner of India, N. Gopalaswami, on Friday contradicted the attack made by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayaram Jayalalithaa, on election body over poll expenses methodology, saying the norm has existed since 1975.

While addressing a public rally yesterday Jayalalithaa openly declared that her party would move the court against Election Commissions' norm.

Reportedly, the cost of campaigns for Jayalalithaa's regional party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), is added to the expenditure of respective candidates for whom she campaigns.

However, Gopalaswami justified the guideline while speaking to the media during an event, Scheduled Systematic Voters Electoral Education Program, organised by council of Chennai and regional election officials.

"There is nothing new, it has been there since 1975 when the Supreme Court gave a judgment. Afterwards the law was amended to ensure that every expenditure does not go to the candidate but only for the party big wigs going to propagate about party's programme that is excluded specifically. It is after that Supreme Court judgment," he said.

Gopalaswami added that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) releasing its election manifesto on the same day as of the polls to be conducted in northeastern provinces of Assam and Tripura is not an issue.