AIADMK Says Maran Violated MCC, Asks EC to Take Action

Dayanidhi Maran reportedly said that he was “voting for change of government” outside a polling booth.

DMK leader and candidate Dayanidhi Maran.

(Photo: Reuters)

The AIADMK on Thursday, 18 April, moved the Election Commission of India to take action against DMK leader and Central Chennai candidate Dayanidhi Maran for allegedly violating the Moral Code of Conduct (MCC) by campaigning outside the polling booth.

Maran reportedly said that he was “voting for change of government” and requested people to do the same. This indicated that he was asking people to vote for him, AIDAMK leader Babu Murugavel said, in a letter to the ECI.

Complaint Against Stalin

Earlier on Wednesday, 17 April, the AIADMK approached the EC with a complaint of violation of MCC against DMK president MK Stalin for addressing the media during the "silence period," saying it was an attempt at "indirect canvassing."

Stalin was giving interviews to private channels and criticising the leaders of other parties and this was a clear violation of the MCC, the complaint filed by party spokesperson and advocate RM Babu Murugavel said.

The "silence period" had come into effect from 6 PM since Tuesday under the MCC, he said, in reference to campaigning for Thursday's Lok Sabha polls to 38 seats in the state coming to an end.

"The intention of Stalin is to canvas indirectly by way of addressing the press, which is against and violation of the Election Code of Conduct/Rules," the complaint said.

(With inputs from PTI)