DMK moves Election Commission against TVK's star campaigner list for bypolls

The DMK has approached the Election Commission of India seeking the cancellation of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's list of star campaigners for the coming byelections to the Maduranthagam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, arguing that the list draws on leaders belonging to other political parties.

DMK organisation secretary R.S. Bharathi submitted the complaint on Monday to Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu Archana Patnaik. He contended that naming individuals from other parties as a party's star campaigners is contrary to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Model Code of Conduct.

Among those listed by the TVK are Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, Minister Vanni Arasu, VCK MP D. Ravikumar, senior VCK leader Sinthanai Selvan, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, MDMK MP Durai Vaiko and IUML leader K.M. Kader Mohideen.

In his complaint, Mr. Bharathi pointed to Section 77(1) of the Representation of the People Act, which uses the expressions "leaders of a political party" and "of that political party" while providing for the exemption of their travel expenses from being counted in an individual candidate's election expenditure accounts.

He argued that under these provisions a political party may designate only its own leaders and office-bearers as star campaigners, and that no provision permits a party to list the leaders or office-bearers of another recognised party as its own star campaigners.

Mr. Bharathi also referred to the guidelines issued periodically by the Election Commission, which require a party to list only its own leaders to campaign for its candidates. Even in the case of alliance partners, he said, declaring a leader of one party as the official star campaigner of another amounts to misuse of the expenditure exemption.

Such recognition, he warned, creates a risk that campaign costs, including travel and accommodation, could be unlawfully exempted instead of being debited against the expenditure limits of candidates in the respective constituencies. He said this undermines a level playing field and runs contrary to the Election Commission's foundational principle of conducting free and fair elections.

The DMK has also asked the Commission to direct that if leaders of other parties campaign for TVK candidates, all associated expenses be fully included in the individual candidates' election expenditure accounts.