AIADMK's local unit booked for violating poll code

TRICHY: Two cases have already been registered for violating the model code of conduct in Trichy district -- one is against the Trichy unit of the ruling AIADMK and the other against A R Vijayarajan, the Trichy district secretary of DMDK.
The AIADMK's local unit has been booked under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement Act), 1959.The DMDK functionary has been slapped under Section 171 (E) of the IPC for organizing an annadhanam (food distribution) at the famous Sri Kuzhumayi Amman temple at Puthur on March 6.
While tashildar R Rangarajan told TOI on Tuesday that the DMDK under the leadership of Vijayarajan was carrying out the annadhanam on behalf of his party, Vijayarajan was quick to term the official action as politically motivated. "This is the muthal katta velai (the first act of vengeance) against our party, and this is expected to only escalate in the coming days. But we will face it in the court of law," Vijayarajan told TOI. It is said party flags and other political paraphernalia were used during the annadhanam.
The case against Vijayarajan has been filed at the Woriyur police station after getting the permission from judicial magistrate-IV of Trichy court. A probe is on. Initially, a complaint was filed by one Muthukumar with the village administrative officer of Thamalavarubayam village.
Vijayarajan further said that this was the fourth year that the party had been organizing the annadhanam at the temple. He admitted that the partymen had brought flags and pasted posters around the temple walls, but they had removed them without fail as soon as the poll code came into force. Hence, the filing of the case was unwarranted. Though, AIADMK's women's wing was celebrating on March 9 with buntings and flags, no action was initiated against them, Vijayarajan charged.
The case against the AIADMK was that the party had failed to obliterate the paintings on walls by the stipulated timeframe. The first case in the district was filed against the party at the Gandhi Market police station on Sunday.
Tashildar Rangarajan said that around 60 tashildars were heading flying squads, static surveillance teams, and video surveillance teams. With more than 200 zonal offices, each team is keeping a tab on 10 polling booths in the district.