⁠Most TN parties request Assembly polls in single phase: EC

Chennai, Feb 26 (PTI) Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday held consultations with political parties here and most of them requested that the elections be conducted in a single phase, EC officials said.

Parties sought stringent measures to curb the use of money power and distribution of freebies during elections, they said.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Vivek Joshi, along with state Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik and senior officials of the Commission, held discussions with recognised national and state-level political parties here.

Most political parties appreciated the EC for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, the officials said.

"⁠Most political parties requested the EC to conduct elections in single phase," they added.

Representatives of Aam Aadmi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Congress and National People's Party took part. As regards state parties, AIADMK, DMK, DMDK, Naam Tamizhar Katchi and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi took part.

Assembly election is due in TN in April this year. Political parties urged the commission to take stringent measures to curb the use of money power and distribution of freebies during elections. ⁠Some political parties sought an increase in the number of flying squads to curb malpractices during elections.

Gyanesh Kumar assured all the political parties that elections are always held as per law in a free, fair and a transparent⁠ manner. The ⁠CEC assured all the parties that EC shall firmly clamp down on all inducement related activities.

Parties also urged the EC to keep in mind the festival dates while finalising the dates for election and Kumar assured that it would be taken into account. PTI VGN VGN SA