AIADMK Blasts DMK for Alleged Rs 8,000 Voter Coupon Scheme Ahead of Tamil Nadu Elections
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Chennai, April 15 (NationPress) As the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections loom on April 23, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4, political momentum in the state is surging, with parties intensifying their campaigns to attract voter backing.
Amid the charged electoral climate, a new controversy has surfaced, as the AIADMK accuses the ruling DMK of breaching the Model Code of Conduct by allegedly distributing cash-value coupons to voters.
The AIADMK has officially filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India, claiming that the DMK is distributing coupons valued at Rs 8,000 to voters in various constituencies.
This complaint argues that such actions amount to bribery and represent a significant breach of electoral regulations as outlined in the Representation of the People Act.
In its formal submission, the AIADMK specifically identified constituencies including Coimbatore South, Bargur, and Palacode, alleging that voters in these regions have received coupons with a nominal value of Rs 8,000.
The party further asserted that these coupons were issued sequentially, indicating a coordinated effort to sway voters ahead of election day.
R.A.S. Senthilvel, AIADMK's State Legal Assistant Deputy Secretary, presented the complaint to both the Chief Election Commissioner and the State Chief Electoral Officer.
He contended that DMK operatives were involved in the unlawful distribution of these coupons across several Tamil Nadu constituencies. The complaint also implicated significant DMK candidates, including former minister Senthil Balaji in Coimbatore South, Mathiazhagan in Bargur, and Senthil Kumar in Palacode, in relation to the alleged coupon distribution.
The AIADMK emphasized that such practices threaten the integrity of the electoral process and create an imbalanced competition. Referring to the move as a direct effort to “purchase votes,” the AIADMK has called on the Election Commission to take swift and severe action against those responsible.
The party has demanded the confiscation of all distributed coupons and urged measures to guarantee that the elections are conducted impartially and transparently.
As the Election Commission assesses the complaint, these allegations have added a new layer to the already fierce political competition in Tamil Nadu, with both major Dravidian parties engaged in a high-stakes struggle for dominance.