Election Commission promises to look into turmeric farmers’ complaints

NIZAMABAD : The Election Commission of India has assured the turmeric farmers it would look into the complaints about the issue of their rejected nominations in Varanasi Parliamentary constituency. According to Telangana Turmeric Farmers Association President K Narasimha Naidu, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not only patiently listened to their grievances but also promised to ask the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer to submit a report on the issue. 

A five-member delegation, led by All India Turmeric Farmers Association President PK Devsigamani, met the CEC-appointed four-member committee, comprising Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bushan Kumar, ECI Director Dhirendra Ojaha, ECI Principal Secretaries Anuj Jaipuriar and Sumit Mukherjee, at Nirvachan Sadhan in New Delhi on Monday.  

Besides K Narasimha Naidu, the farmers' delegation also included Tamil Nadu Turmeric Farmers Association President K Goundar.  In their memorandum, the farmers alleged that they were prevented from filing their nomination papers and those who managed to do, their papers were rejected by the election officials. 

“In view of the election officials’ failure to conduct free and fair polls in Varanasi, we request the ECI to take action against officials for deliberately stopping the farmers from filing their papers,’’ the farmers said in their memorandum. As many as 79 turmeric farmers from Telangana and Tamil Nadu went to Varanasi to file nominations, but only 35 nominations were accepted.