DMK-affiliated trade unions accused of forcing transport workers to opt for postal voting in Salem

SALEM: AIADMK labour wing Anna Trade Union Congress submitted a complaint to the Salem district election officer and returning officer R Brindha Devi on Wednesday, alleging that DMK-affiliated trade unions were forcing transport workers to sign consent forms for postal voting ahead of the April 23 Tamil Nadu assembly election.Speaking to reporters outside the Salem district collector’s office, Anna Trade Union Congress representatives said postal ballot applications were being distributed improperly and in violation of election commission rules meant for essential service personnel. They said under Election Commission guidelines, only employees doing essential duties on polling day were eligible to vote by postal ballot. While the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation was among the departments covered, the union alleged that the facility was being extended indiscriminately to employees without verifying whether they would be on duty that day, they said.The complaint alleged that officials at the Salem division of the State Transport Corporation, in coordination with DMK trade union functionaries, were distributing Form 12D applications widely and under pressure, which the union said was illegal and undermined the integrity of the election process.The Anna Trade Union Congress alleged that certain employees linked to the DMK trade union were being given lighter duties to help them participate in election-related activities. It said this amounted to a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC), which barred govt employees from engaging in political activity after the MCC came into force.The union urged the district election officer to take immediate action and to warn transport corporation officials against violating election rules. The district election officer told them that she would look into this issue.