Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo on Friday asked Tiruvarur Collector and District Election Officer (DEO) L. Nirmal Raj for his comments on a representation made by D. Raja, the Communist Party of India’s Member of Parliament, demanding that the byelection to the Tiruvarur Assembly constituency be deferred in the light of ongoing relief work in areas hit by the Cyclone Gaja.
Mr. Sahoo told The Hindu on Friday that the DEO had been directed to give his response by Saturday. The bypoll is scheduled to be held on January 28 and nominations for the same are being received since Thursday. Mr. Raja had submitted his petition to the Election Commission of India which, in turn, sought the CEO’s views.
‘Enforce model code’
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission, in its communication to Mr. Sahoo, gave its nod for allowing the State government to continue with the relief measures, for which a decision was taken prior to the announcement of the byelection. The EC stated that no political functionary should be involved in any disbursement of relief material. The material could only be distributed by officials. The panel wanted the Tiruvarur DEO to strictly enforce the model code of conduct.