EC notice to ministers of Congress Govt in MP

The Election Commission on Friday issued notices to two ministers of the Congress-led Government in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly flouting the Model Code of Conduct.

The EC noted that Govind Singh Rajput, Transport Minister in Chief Minister Kamal Nath's Government in Madhya Pradesh, had violated the Model Code of Conduct by using vulgar language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The EC held that Rajput had flouted the Para 2 of Part 1 of the Model Code of Conduct by "criticising" Prime Minister “on the basis of unverified allegations” by making statements like “Modi Chor Hai” and “Modi Chokidar Hai”.

The Para 2 of Part 1 of the Model Code of Conduct requires leaders and candidates of the political parties to avoid criticism of other parties or their workers based on “unverified allegations or distortions”.

The EC served Rajput a notice, after receiving a complaint from the BJP on speeches he delivered while campaigning for the Congress at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh on April 2. It asked him to submit his explanation by Saturday.

The poll-panel issued a notice to Rajput's colleague Omkar Singh Markam, who holds the Schedule Tribe Welfare portfolio in Madhya Pradesh Government, for allegedly flouting the Model Code of Conduct by summoning officials of the state government at Shahdol district of the state on April 20.

The EC noted that Markam had summoned the officials involved with the preparation of the polling in the office of the District Election Officer. The officials stated during an inquiry later that financial demands and threats were also made when they were summoned for the meeting with the minister, the poll-panel noted.

The commission asked the minister to submit his explanation within 24 hours.