With the Election Commission disbanding the flying and static surveillance squad teams, farmers’ organisations have urged the poll body to relax the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the State.
The code of conduct came into effect after the announcement of Lok Sabha election on March 16. Many curbs were imposed on carrying cash, implementing new schemes, launching new projects, organising government functions, and others. The weekly grievance redress meetings and the monthly farmers’ grievance day meetings were suspended. However, citizens continued to visit the Collector’s office and other government offices seeking welfare assistance and others on Monday. The officials ask the people to come back after the second week of June.
With the voting in all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State completed, farmers’ organisations have sought lifting of restrictions on day-to-day functioning of the government offices, particularly with regard to implementation of welfare measures.
“It is meaningless to keep the grievance day meetings and government functions suspended till the end of all phases of elections in the country when the polling is over in all constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The people of the State will have to wait at least seven more weeks for the Model Code of Conduct to be withdrawn. It is unnecessary. Hence, the Election Commission must lift curbs and allow full-fledged functioning of government departments,” says Goundampatti Subramanian, deputy secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association.
Most officials, he said, refused to entertain the grievances of the people, including farmers, citing Model Code of Conduct.
N. Jamaludeen, a civic activist, said it was understandable to enforce the model code when elections were conducted. As polling has been completed in all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, the restrictions should be lifted immediately, he added.
