Notice to Lalu for code violation

The Election Commission today said it had served a notice, returnable by September 19, to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad and his colleague Prem Chand Gupta on a complaint of violation of model code and was examining Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's reply to an earlier notice on breach of the poll code while campaigning in Bihar.

Chief Election Commissioner BB Tandon said the commission had yesterday issued notices to the railway minister and Gupta, Union minister of state for company affairs, seeking their replies for reportedly visiting the commission's headquarters in New Delhi in their official car, in violation of the model code.

"Both Lalu and Gupta have been asked to submit their explanations by September 19," he said after reviewing poll preparations in the Darbhanga division.

The National Democratic Alliance had complained that Lalu and Gupta had visited Nirvachan Sadan recently in their official vehicles, seeking rescheduling of the poll dates.

The Lok Jantantrik Party had also charged that Lalu had violated the model code of conduct by addressing an election meeting at Dumraon beyond the permitted time at around 11.15 pm.

The chief election commissioner, however, said he had asked Bihar chief electoral officer NK Sinha to examine this complaint and report to the poll panel.

He also said the commission was going into the explanation received from Pawar yesterday in connection with his recent visit to Motipur in the Muzaffarpur district where he had reportedly announced reopening of the closed sugar mills and payment of arrears to farmers after the elections.

The commission had served a notice to Pawar on September 8, returnable by September 16, following complaints that he had made the announcements flouting the model code.

Tandon also rejected the proposal of the Darbhanga district administration to reschedule elections to the Singhia Assembly constituency in view of floods.

Earlier, reviewing the poll preparedness at Saharsa, the CEC said efforts continued to provide electoral photo identity cards to all voters ahead of before the Assembly elections. The EC was yet to take a decision on allowing the non- electoral photo identity card holders to exercise their franchise on the basis of alternative identification documents, he said.

The politically volatile state goes to polls in four phases on October 18, 26 and November 13 and 19. Counting of votes for all the 243 Assembly constituencies will be taken up on November 22.