Chennai: TVK general secretary (election management) and PWD minister Aadhav Arjuna, along with the party’s legal wing, has approached the Election Commission of India seeking action against DMK president and former chief minister M K Stalin for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by making derogatory, body-shaming remarks about TVK’s Dharapuram candidate P Sathyabama.In his complaint, Arjuna urged the ECI to withdraw Stalin’s star campaigner status and direct the district returning officer to register an FIR against him under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998. He also sought measures to ensure Sathyabama’s “fearless participation” in the electoral process.Talking to mediapersons at the Secretariat, Arjuna warned that legal action would be initiated against Stalin and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin if they continued making derogatory remarks against women. “We respect the DMK leader, but Stalin has increasingly resorted to denigrating women at a level unseen in the past five years. We are planning to file a formal criminal complaint against the DMK chief,” Arjuna said.In a separate representation, the TVK advocates’ wing urged the ECI to immediately direct Stalin to refrain from making such remarks and, if necessary, impose restrictions on his election campaign.The wing sought registration of an FIR under the relevant provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Representation of the People Act. It also called for a lawful investigation and penal action. “The video and audio recordings, along with media reports of the meeting, may be immediately seized and preserved. Details of the action taken on this complaint may be communicated to us,” the representation said.
