An electoral officer in Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency alleged favoritism towards DMK candidate A Raja by Returning Officer in a letter addressed to Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu. Assistant Expenditure Observer P Saravanan in his complaint said that Returning Officer/District Officer Aruna was harassing him and and personally overseeing all expenses related to A Raja. He also claimed that Aruna attempted to manipulate the accounting procedures to favour A Raja.
He also said that he was facing issues since he did not support the bias of Returning Officer toward DMK candidate.
“The expenditures booked in the Shadow Observation Register of our team differ much more lakhs compared to the book of accounts of the candidate, A Raja. In order to downward the booked expenditure, the Returing Officer is repeatedly harassing me,” he said, as per a report on Live Mint.
The RO Aruna talking to India Today denied the allegation and said that they were completely baseless. She said that she reprimanded the election official following which he sent the complaint to the CEO. She also added that she would in no way put her service into question.
On Thursday, Tamil Nadu's Chief Electoral Officer, Satyabrata Sahoo, stated that action will be taken based on reports from officials regarding allegations made by a poll expenditure official that the Returning Officer of the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency is displaying favoritism towards DMK candidate A Raja.
When questioned about the allegation, Sahoo, as per PTI, informed reporters, "We have taken note of this based on press reports. After receiving reports from concerned officials, further steps will follow."
Meanwhile, A Raja from DMK is contesting against Union MoS L Murugan of BJP and Lokesh Tamilselvan of AIADMK.
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