SEC colluding with govt, alleges Cong

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.

“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.

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.

Poll code violation

“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.

He said it was unfortunate that the SEC had failed to take action against such statements.

The ruling party had been misusing the administrative machinery to transfer money to taluk centres, he said.