CHENNAI: DMK deputy organisation secretary and MLA S Austin on Tuesday petitioned chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik seeking an urgent inquiry into the alleged cover up of election expenditure and violation of the model code of conduct by TVK candidate for Dharapuram P Sathyabama, citing a purported video in which she was reportedly heard claiming to have spent Rs 31 crore during the April 23 Assembly election.After meeting the CEO at the state secretariat, Austin said the ECI should summon and scrutinise Sathyabama’s election expenditure accounts and audit the expenses incurred during the April poll. He submitted a pen drive containing the video along with his complaint. In the video, Sathyabama is heard saying that she spent Rs 31 crore for the April 23 poll.He continued that Sathyabama’s election expenditure claim should be thoroughly verified and cross-checked with the candidate’s expenditure statements, bank records and other supporting documents. If the expenditure was found to have been concealed, action should be under the Representation of the People Act and other applicable laws, he demanded.He referred to Sathyabama’s reported statement that around Rs 14 lakh was spent on logistics, food and accommodation for TVK and its alliance functionaries during the ongoing bypoll campaign. Austin urged the ECI to verify whether the amount had been included in her official election expenditure account and cross-check it with receipts and records submitted by her.Austin said the expenditure ceiling for an assembly candidate was Rs 40 lakh and stressed that all election-related expenses should be properly accounted for.He sought an inquiry into complaints of distribution of cash and gifts, including lamps, saris and tiffin boxes, to voters in Dharapuram.Asked about the TVK camp’s claim that the video was morphed, Austin said, “No one will accept that it is them. That is what she is also saying.”
