Lok Sabha elections 2024: ECI suspends head of flying squad for laxity in checking A Raja’s cavalcade

Chennai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday placed the head of a flying squad team under suspension for laxity in the checking of the cavalcade of former Union Minister A Raja in the Nilgiris district.

Raja is the ruling DMK’s nominee and is pitted against Union Minister of State L Murugan, and D Lokesh Tamilselvan of the AIADMK.

The action by the ECI came after media reported that the cavalcade of Raja was not “checked properly” at an inter-state check-post near Coonoor in the picturesque district.

“Based on the media reports and subsequent enquiry by Returning Officer, The Nilgiris, as also the Expenditure Observer, head of the Flying Squad Team Ms. Geetha has been suspended as lapses were found in performance of election duties,” Satyabrata Sahoo, Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, said.

Sahoo added that the entire flying squad team has been replaced even as the Expenditure Observer visited the spot, made enquiries, and viewed the two videos recorded by the video surveillance teams.

“Both the press video as well as the VST videos show casual and superficial checking. The other cars in the cavalcade were not checked at all,” the CEO added.

Contending that the ECI has taken a serious note of the soft approach towards a prominent candidate, the CEO said all political parties and candidates will be dealt with firmly, if found to be violating the MCC guidelines issued by ECI for a level playing field in ensuring free and fair elections.