Coimbatore: For the first time in the state, candidates contesting assembly elections should get a 'no dues' certificate from power utility Tangedco and Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD). The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that it is mandatory for candidates to file an additional affidavit attached with 'no dues' certificate, along with their nominations.
Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer (CEO) Rajesh Lakhoni had notified this new regulation to all the district collectors-cum-district election officers (DEOs) in a letter sent to them on March 26 asking them to see to it that candidates file an additional affidavit along with their nomination applications. The candidates, it said, should attach 'no dues' certificates from Tangedco, TWAD and BSNL. According to election officials, candidates used to fill in these details on their own in the column of government dues in Form 26. But for the first time, the ECI has sought a certificate issued by these government-run entities.
The ECI has already sent the model copies of additional affidavits to all district election officials and asked them to keep the affidavit copies ready so that it could be provided along with nomination applications to prospective candidates who want to contest the upcoming state assembly election.
Most of the candidates, election officials pointed out, won't pay drinking water charges to the TWAD properly. As per the ECI's instruction, the TWAD would now collect the entire dues from the candidates before they file the nominations.
When contacted, former DMK minister Pongalur N Palanisamy said candidates would have to focus on campaigning from the second week of April and that they cannot visit Tangedco, TWAD and BSNL offices to obtain 'no dues' certificates. The ECI should withdraw its order and follow the Form 26 norms, he said. All the district administrations have already received the nomination applications, along with Form 26.The additional affidavit copies will be supplied to all district collectorates in a week.
Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer (CEO) Rajesh Lakhoni had notified this new regulation to all the district collectors-cum-district election officers (DEOs) in a letter sent to them on March 26 asking them to see to it that candidates file an additional affidavit along with their nomination applications. The candidates, it said, should attach 'no dues' certificates from Tangedco, TWAD and BSNL. According to election officials, candidates used to fill in these details on their own in the column of government dues in Form 26. But for the first time, the ECI has sought a certificate issued by these government-run entities.
The ECI has already sent the model copies of additional affidavits to all district election officials and asked them to keep the affidavit copies ready so that it could be provided along with nomination applications to prospective candidates who want to contest the upcoming state assembly election.
Most of the candidates, election officials pointed out, won't pay drinking water charges to the TWAD properly. As per the ECI's instruction, the TWAD would now collect the entire dues from the candidates before they file the nominations.
When contacted, former DMK minister Pongalur N Palanisamy said candidates would have to focus on campaigning from the second week of April and that they cannot visit Tangedco, TWAD and BSNL offices to obtain 'no dues' certificates. The ECI should withdraw its order and follow the Form 26 norms, he said. All the district administrations have already received the nomination applications, along with Form 26.The additional affidavit copies will be supplied to all district collectorates in a week.
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