In the run up to the Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu, he had promised the electorate a good life which includes free health care, free education, livelihood for at least one member of each family and a state-of-the-art public distribution service. Though his campaign meetings were rated as most lively, when the results were announced on May 19, Anbumani Ramadoss, the 47-year-old medical doctor-turned-politician and his party PMK fell by the wayside failing to register a single seat in any of the 234 constituencies in the State.
“The results proved beyond doubt that the Election Commission of India is a toothless and powerless body incapable of taking any disciplinary action against parties which use money and muscle power to win elections,” Anbumani told The Pioneer. He also warned that if electoral reforms were not implemented soon, all future elections would turn out to be farce.
The ECI was forced to rescind the election process in two Assembly constituencies, Aravakurichi and Thanjavur following seizure of more than Rs100 crore and gifts from the houses of AIADMK and the DMK leaders which were meant to bribe voters. The date for fresh notification is yet to be decided by the Commission in spite of pleas by the DMK to hold the election at the earliest.
“The Election Commission should have the power to derecognise and deregister the erring parties. The Model Code of Conduct does not have any legality. The ECI cannot make a single rule by itself. The Representation of People's Act does not have any teeth. Under these circumstances, what is the raison'detre for such a body,” asks the PMK leader.
He has asked the ECI to file cases against the candidates at Aravakurichi and Thanjavur under Section 171of the Indian Penal Code. “If distribution of money by him or his associates is confirmed, the candidates should be disqualified, which will imply that they cannot contest any election for the next 15 years,” said Anbumani in his letter to the ECI.
According to Anbumani, there is no point in contesting elections in Tamil Nadu unless the ECI implement the reforms. “The Union Government itself could amend some of the rules. Foremost among the reforms should be to authorise the ECI to take immediate disciplinary action and show red card to those who violate the rules. Another important decision should be to ban the opinion polls. There is no scientific basis for the opinion polls held in India,” said Anbumani.
His immediate task is to launch the demand for setting up a parliamentary committee for electoral reforms. “Money power and media played a major role in defeating the PMK in the assembly elections. In all opinion polls aired by TV channels and published by periodicals, the name PMK was conspicuous by its absence. I am not crying over sour grapes. There was deliberate attempt to black out my party by the media and they succeeded in it,” he said.
The whole of Tamil Nadu knows well that the DMK perfected the art of “purchasing votes,” he points out. “The 2009 Thirumangalam by- election is described as the benchmark for “cash for vote” deals. I'll not blame AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa for the state of affairs. But there are politicians in the AIADMK who are trying to impress their boss by purchasing votes wholesale,” he said. The DMK was frantic to win the 2016 elections come what may, pointed out Anbumani.