ECI appoints B Murli Kumar as Spl Expenditure Observer for Election to 8 – Vellore PC, Tamil Nadu

The Election Commission of India has appointed Ex- DG IT Chennai Shri B Murli Kumar (ex IRS – 1983) as Special Expenditure Observer for 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency that goes to polls now on 5th August 2019. It may be recalled that on 14th April 2019, the Commission had  made a recommendation to the Hon’ble President of India, under Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, to rescind the Election to 8-Vellore Parliamentary Constituency, Tamil Nadu.

The decision of the ECI to rescind the election in Vellore PC was based on detection of a systematic design to influence voters in 8- Vellore Parliamentary Constituency during the election process.

Sh. B. Murali Kumar was DGIT(Inv.), Chennai when search and seizure operations u/s 132 of the I.T. Act were carried out under his leadership and the IT team had made a cash seizure of Rs. 11.48 Cr. along with evidence in the form of computer printouts detailing proposed assembly segment, ward and booth wise money distribution suggesting a clear-cut pattern and design to induce the electors at a large scale across the Vellore Parliamentary Constituency. A total of Rs 61.76 crore were seized in various other search actions related to elections.

The then Spl Expenditure Observer Ms Madhu Mahajan had recommended countermanding of Election to 8 Vellore PC asthis organised way of inducement of voters had vitiated the electoral environment and  the situation was not conducive for the conduct of free and fair elections