TNCC chief slams EC interpretation of rules on poll expenses

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B S Gnanadesikan today criticised the Election Commission's interpretation of the rules on poll expenses, saying it would only create confusion.
The Supreme Court had already issued guidelines which said when parties' policies and manifestos were taken to the public through meetings, then the meeting expenses would not come under poll expenses of the candidate, he said while speaking to reporters here.
The EC's interpretation of the rule regarding election expenses while introducing the candidates by the leaders, would only cause confusion, he said, adding, in several places the name of the candidate could not be uttered.

"It is not proper for the Election Commission to include in the election expenses of candidates, if his name is announced by party leaders during election meetings organised by the party," he said.
Congress did not have the money power and hence there was slackness in the campaigning, he said.
"The wish of the election commission to hold free and fair elections remained only a wish so far," he said but did not elaborate.

".... One could not say that the rules are being followed strictly, and one could see the dominance of the ruling party," he claimed.
Asked about the different views among leaders regarding alliance with the DMK and AIADMK, he said there were two views even in the DMK regarding having alliance with the Congress.

A section in the party (DMK) did not want to have alliance with Congress, while the others wanted to have alliance, Gnanadesikan said, adding, he did not meet expelled DMK leader M K Alagiri as he did not have time.
Meanwhile, he said India abstained from the US-sponsored resolution at the UNHRC against Sri Lanka because it wanted to protect the sovereignty of that nation.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is likely to address a meeting at Nagercoil while Rahul Gandhi might address a meeting in South Tamil Nadu, he added.