The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea which alleged that people were being bribed on a massive scale for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, saying the elections in the state were already over.
However, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the issues arising from the plea would be kept open for consideration at an appropriate time and stage.
"As the elections in the state of Tamil Nadu are over, we are not inclined to entertain this special leave petition. The same is, accordingly, dismissed. The issues arising therefrom are however kept open for consideration at an appropriate time and stage as may arise," said the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna.
The apex court had earlier sought Election Commission's response on the plea seeking to create awareness through TV, newspapers and radio that it was a punishable offence to give or take cash for votes.
So far Rs 78.12 crore in cash has been seized in the state, said the petition, adding that the EC has already designated all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, along with 70 other seats across the country, as "expenditure sensitive".
"That case of the petitioner is that there are reports in all the leading newspapers and TV Channels regarding cash-for-vote in bye elections and Lok Sabha, elections and state assembly elections. A survey report also speak about the increasing cash for vote practice in Tamil Nadu," it said.
The plea further said that if one political party has an overwhelming superiority in money, the newspapers support and give patronage to it, and it will be almost impossible for it ever to be defeated.
It also alleged that all political parties openly paid cash-for-vote to the voters in Madurai, Thirumangalam bye-election held on 2009.
"A main major political party paid Rs 5,000 each to the voters to cast their vote, to their favoured candidates. The Election Commission's hands were tied and its officials were seen as silent spectators in Madurai, Thirumangalam Bye Election constituency," it had claimed.
The petition sought increase in the number of flying squads appointed by EC to control cash-for-vote and effective monitoring.
It had also sought that if election is postponed or cancelled for the reason of distribution of cash for vote or for deviating any election rules, the huge money spent for election by government should be recovered from the candidate/ head of political party.
The petitioner referred to the media and intelligence reports to say that Rs 10,000 crore case was arriving in Tamil Nadu and the recent seizure of Rs 11.5 crore from a cement godown in Vellore district by the I-T investigation wing substantiates the allegations that huge cash was being used for votes.
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