Deferring verdict would be Delhis call

CHENNAI: A decision on deferring counting of votes and declaration of result to the Tiruchi West bypoll had to be taken by the Election Commission bosses in New Delhi, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Praveen Kumar told Express on Wednesday.The first phase of the civic polls in Tamil Nadu is slated for October 17. The counting of votes and declaration of results is also scheduled for the same day.It is felt among opposition parties that the by-election result might influence the voters. Citing a similar situation in 2006 when the Madurai Central bypoll result was declared only after local body polls, PMK chief Ramadoss on Sunday demanded that the counting of votes be postponed.The issue echoed in the all- party meet on local body polls convened by the State Election Commission on Tuesday. State Election Commissioner S Ayyar said the Election Commission would be urged to change the date of result declaration.Asked if the counting and declaration of results would be deferred, the CEO said he had brought the “factual position” in the State to the ECI. “I have written to them on the apprehension among political parties that the result could influence voters,” he said.The decision on postponing the counting or result declaration had to be taken by the ECI, he stressed. The CEO has written to the Secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu in the ECI, RK Srivastava.