<p>With panchayat elections round the corner, the State unit of the Congress has accused the State Election Commission of turning a blind eye to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his Cabinet colleagues grossly violating the model code of conduct.<br /><br />“The SEC appears to be colluding with the State government without taking into account a series of poll code violations by the chief minister and other ministers,” president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, G Parameshwara, told newspersons here on Saturday.<br /><br />Participating in an interaction programme organised by the Mysore District Journalists Association, he took exception to the chief minister’s statement in Shimoga that development work would come to a halt if the BJP lost the panchayat poll.<br /><br />Poll code violation<br /><br />“If an MLA or minister makes such a statement, it’s pardonable. It is not befitting of a chief minister to make the statement, indirectly intimidating the voter. Moreover, it’s a serious breach of code of conduct,” he said adding that Food and Civil Supplies Minister V Somanna had also violated the code by announcing a 15-kg rice quota for the above poverty line card-holders.<br /><br />He said it was unfortunate that the SEC had failed to take action against such statements.<br /><br /> The ruling party had been misusing the administrative machinery to transfer money to taluk centres, he said.<br /></p>
<p>With panchayat elections round the corner, the State unit of the Congress has accused the State Election Commission of turning a blind eye to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and his Cabinet colleagues grossly violating the model code of conduct.<br /><br />“The SEC appears to be colluding with the State government without taking into account a series of poll code violations by the chief minister and other ministers,” president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, G Parameshwara, told newspersons here on Saturday.<br /><br />Participating in an interaction programme organised by the Mysore District Journalists Association, he took exception to the chief minister’s statement in Shimoga that development work would come to a halt if the BJP lost the panchayat poll.<br /><br />Poll code violation<br /><br />“If an MLA or minister makes such a statement, it’s pardonable. It is not befitting of a chief minister to make the statement, indirectly intimidating the voter. Moreover, it’s a serious breach of code of conduct,” he said adding that Food and Civil Supplies Minister V Somanna had also violated the code by announcing a 15-kg rice quota for the above poverty line card-holders.<br /><br />He said it was unfortunate that the SEC had failed to take action against such statements.<br /><br /> The ruling party had been misusing the administrative machinery to transfer money to taluk centres, he said.<br /></p>
