13 candidates withdraw nomination

As many as 13 candidates from the 10 Assembly constituencies in Coimbatore district withdrew nominations on Monday (May 2), the day earmarked for withdrawing nominations. A release said that four candidates from the Singanallur Assembly constituency and one each from the remaining nine constituencies withdrew their papers.

Their withdrawal leaves 154 persons in the fray. The returning officers had received 345 nominations of which they had rejected 178, said a release from the Coimbatore district administration. The presence of more than 16 candidates in Mettupalayam, Kavundampalayam, Thondamuthur, Coimbatore South and Singanallur would mean that there would be two ballot units.

In the other Assembly constituencies there would be only one ballot unit.

In the present scenario, Valparai has nine candidates, Sulur and Kinathukadavu 12 each, Coimbatore North and Pollachi 15 each.

In Singanallur, N.M. Prabavathi, sister of AIADMK candidate N. Muthusamy, withdrew her papers. She had earlier filed nomination to contest as an Independent against her brother accusing him of sidelining her by not giving a share of their parents’ property.

She had said that though she was an AIADMK member, she was forced to come out in the open because she wanted to challenge her brother in the election battlefield.

EVM randomisation

Officials in the Nilgiris district in the presence of Election Observers and Collector P. Shankar conducted the process of randomising the allotment of ballot and control units to the polling booths in the three Assembly constituencies.

They used the software the Election Commission of India had developed for the purpose, a release said.

The Collector, Mr. Shankar, also conducted a meeting for supervisors and salesmen in TASMAC-run retail liquor shops instructing them that they should abide by rules. A release said that he asked the salesmen to issue to receipts for all transactions, including those that took place during peak hours. The salesmen should not sell bottles in bulk and stick to the stipulation given.

In the coming days senior officers would conduct frequent inspection to check compliance with rules. At the time of inspection, the supervisors and salesmen should furnish all the information sought for.

The release also said that the Collector asked the senior officers to follow the Election Commission of India instructions.

In Coimbatore, officials in flying squad seized Rs. 2.72 lakh from a few persons but soon returned the money after they furnished documents authenticating their claim.

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