Election in Vellore LS constituency cancelled

New Delhi/Chennai, April 16 (IANS) Polling in Vellore Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu was cancelled on Tuesday, two days after Income Tax officials seized Rs 11.5-crore cash from a warehouse in the district

"Accepting the recommendation of Election Commission dated April 14, 2019, the President is pleased to rescind election to Vellore Parliamentary Constituency, Tamil Nadu to elect a member to Lok Sabha," an official statement said.

The seizure was made by the Income Tax Department during a search operation at a cement warehouse belonging to a DMK official.

Reacting to the development, DMK President M.K. Stalin said it has been done to defame the party.

DMK treasurer Duraimurugan, whose son D.M. Kathir Anand is the party's candidate from the Vellore constituency, said it is murder of democracy.

On the other hand senior AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, demanded that the Election Commission disqualify the candidate indulding in such malpractices.

In all, 23 candidates are in fray from the Vellore constituency.

The IT officials had found bundles of cash stuffed in cartons and gunny bags in a cement warehouse belonging to a DMK man considered close to the party treasurer.

A senior IT official told IANS that the cash, amounting to about Rs 11.5 crore, was for distribution ward wise, with the packets having division and ward numbers written on them.

According to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, the polling has been cancelled only for the Vellore Lok Sabha seat, as the by-elections to Ambur and Gudiyatham Assembly seats would be held as scheduled on April 18.