EC Assures Madras High Court of Action on Alleged Vote-Buying in Chennai

The Madras High Court closed a writ petition concerning allegations that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) distributed tokens worth ₹10,000 to voters in the Harbour constituency of Chennai. The complaint, filed by an advocate, accused AIADMK candidate Royapuram Mano, also known as R. Manohar, of orchestrating the distribution of these tokens, which reportedly featured QR codes and unique serial numbers. During the hearing, the Election Commission of India (EC) assured the court that it would take appropriate legal action regarding the matter. EC counsel Niranjan Rajagopalan submitted that flying squads had responded to two separate complaints about the alleged distribution but failed to locate any such tokens or seize evidence at the scene. Consequently, the First Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, recorded the EC's undertaking and disposed of the petition. This incident highlights ongoing scrutiny of electoral practices and the role of judicial oversight in ensuring free and fair elections in Tamil Nadu.