SC dismisses plea alleging cash for votes in TN

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to examine a plea alleging growing use of cash for votes in Tamil Nadu, saying the general elections in the state was already over.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna, however, said if there are such allegations in future, the issue can be looked into by the court.

“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,” the bench said.

On Tuesday last, the top court had asked the Election Commission to go through the petition filed by K K Ramesh.

He had referred to the recent Income Tax raids conducted in the premises of DMK leaders in Vellore district, where a huge cash haul was seized.

He claimed the act of buying votes in such a manner denied "an equal voice for some voters and an equal chance for some candidates”.

Subsequently, the EC had countermanded the polls in Vellore constituency.

The petitioner claimed that over Rs 11 crore in cash was seized at a cement godown in Vellore. The warehouse is alleged to be that of a DMK functionary. The Vellore incident confirmed EC’s worst fears about the influence of money in Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.

The petition cited reports stating that so far, Rs 78.12 crore had been seized and more than Rs 10,000 crore could be “pumped in” to the state. It said all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had been designated as “expenditure sensitive”.

The plea sought a direction to the EC to increase flying squads. It also contended that in case of cancellation of polls, the expenditure should be recovered from the candidate.