JOIN USThe Election Commission (EC) has initiated an inquiry against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife for allegedly not declaring all assets while contesting elections.
Responding to a complaint filed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, the EC sought details about the assets of Singh and wife Pratibha Singh as shown in the affidavit and the assets alleged to have been concealed from the state chief electoral officer (CEO).
Confirming the development, CEO Narinder Chauhan said the voluminous documents have been sent by post and he was yet to receive them. No timeframe has been fixed for sending the reply, he added.
Thakur, son of former Himachal chief minister P K Dhumal, in his complaint had alleged that Singh and Pratibha had not declared full payments or shares in their election affidavits and sought action against them. While Singh filed his nominations and affidavit on October 17, 2012, for the Assembly elections, which was won by the Congress, Pratibha filed her papers for the by-election to the Mandi Parliamentary constituency on May 30, 2013.
While Pratibha’s term will expire on June 1 this year along with the present Lok Sabha, Virbhadra’s term will end on December 2017 along with the term of the present Assembly.
The opposition BJP has been demanding the chief minister’s resignation for allegedly receiving Rs 3.5 crore as bribe from a power company.