Telangana polls: ECI sends notice to Karnataka govt for MCC violation 

KOLKATA | Updated: 28 November, 2023 1:01 pm IST

KOLKATA: Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the Karnataka government’s advertisement for the Telangana Assembly elections, the commission issued a notice to the Congress government on Monday.

The commission’s notice was made regarding “violation of MCC (Model Code of Conduct) Advertisement by Government of Karnataka in Telangana Legislative Assembly”. The commission had asked for a three-point explanation by Tuesday evening from the Congress government. 

ECI’s notice to the govt of Karnataka reads, “The Commission has examined its own records and found that neither such approval was granted by the Commission as required under above-mentioned instruction nor any such application from the State of Karnataka is found pending for decision. The said act of giving advertisements highlighting the welfare schemes and achievements of Government by the Government of Karnataka in newspapers having circulations in poll going State of Telangana is in gross violation of the Commission’s above directions. The Commission has taken a serious view of the said violative act by the government of Karnataka…” 

 

The notice adds, “Further publication of any such advertisements by the Government of Karnataka in the State of Telangana shall be stopped forthwith with immediate effect till necessary approvals are taken by the Government from the Commission as required by the instructions on MCC.” 

The Commission had asked for an explanation as to why no disciplinary action had been taken against the secretary in-charge of the Public Relation department.

The complaint had been made by a BJP delegation led by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, asking the ECI to intervene and act against the Karnataka government for violating the Representation of the People Act and the MCC.

Presently, the assembly elections in the state are supposed to go underway on November 30, while the counting of the votes is supposed to go underway on December 3. 

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