Five women voters in Cumbum constituency handed over to police

In an innocent act of audacity, five women voters in a polling booth in the Cumbum constituency asked money to the presiding officer of poll booth itself  to record their votes in favour of a particular symbol. The election observer responsible for having an eye on the booth handed them over to the cops(police). The group of women might have been deceived by some political party member to get their votes by giving a false hope. They said that they were given a slip and asked to collect money from the presiding officer after they had cast their votes in favour of a symbol. They believed the words and got into trouble.

As the close competitor of DMK, AIADMK and their allies have decided to stay away from the elections, the prospects for the ruling party  to emerge victorious looms large. Hence to the disappointment of voters in the five assembly constituencies, the ‘ cash prize ‘ for the voters was reduced to Rs.200 and the distribution of the bribe amount was also not alleged to be on a large scale. It is to be recalled here that for the recently concluded parliament elections voters were being paid between Rs. 500 to 1500, for every single vote, in particular the madurai constituency from where the CM’s son was elected and became cabinet minister for the chemicals and fertilizers department.

Barring minor incidents here and there, the by-elections for the five assembly constituencies in Tamilnadu proceeded peacefully. In a ward in Cumbum town, clashes took place between the ruling party men and Vijayakanth’s party’s men, in which three members belonging to the latter party were injured.