Chennai/New Delhi: Ahead of the April 18 Lok Sabha polls, election officials Tuesday held searches at the residence of DMK MP Kanimozhi in Thoothukudi in south Tamil Nadu from where she is contesting.
Official sources indicated that the searches were held following "some inputs," but they did not elaborate.
Income Tax officials were also "assisting," the local poll officials, they told PTI.
The outcome of the searches were not known immediately.
The raids came hours after the Election Commission issued an order cancelling the polling at Vellore constituency following the seizure of huge amount of cash from the DMK candidate's office. This is the first time in the history of Lok Sabha elections that the polling is rescinded over cash-for-vote allegations.
Barring Vellore, the remaining 38 Lok Sabha seats and 18 assembly seats in the state will go to polls on Thursday.
Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha member, is contesting against the BJP's state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan in the Thootukodi Lok Sabha constituency.
Following information about the searches, a large number of DMK workers gathered in front of Kanimozhi's house expressing solidarity.
DMK president M K Stalin in a statement at Chennai said the raids were an outcome of "fear of a damning defeat," for BJP's candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan.
She is also the BJP's State unit president.
"This is murder of democracy," Stalin said and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has buried the autonomous feature of the Election Commission through such actions.
The DMK chief said his party would work towards ushering in reforms in the appointments of Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commissioners and State Chief Electoral Officer.
"If needed, we will not hesitate to approach the Supreme Court," he said.
Last week the I-T department had conducted raids in 18 locations in the state including Chennai, Namakkal and Thirunelveli.
Allegations of use of money are flowing thick and fast in the run up to the polls with the election authorities seizing over Rs 127 crore cash and gold and other precious metals with a total value of Rs 284 crore in various parts of the state.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Tuesday sought Election Commission's response on a plea alleging that people were being bribed on a massive scale for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu.
