The Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra has sought clarification from the state unit Congress committee (MPCC) on complaints regarding a television advertisement purportedly depicting Prithviraj Chavan as chief minister even though the state is currently under President's rule.
The state Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Gadre said that he had received complaints about the television advertisement.
"...So we have asked the state Congress to clarify on the objections," he said today.
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The Assembly election for all 288 seats in the state will be held on October 15 and counting of votes on October 19.
When contacted, state Congress spokesman Anant Gadgil said that the advertisement, currently being aired on television, was prepared before the state was brought under the President's Rule.
"The advertisement does not say that Chavan is chief minister, but only shows Chavan's signature where the word-- chief minister--is mentioned," Gadgil said, adding that, "We will examine if electoral rules are violated and take corrective steps."
Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Waikar, who is contesting from Jogeshwari (East) constituency in suburban Mumbai, had demanded that the airing of the advertisement showing Chavan as chief minister, be stopped.
Similarly, the electoral office had received two more complaints in this regard.
President's rule was clamped on the state last Sunday after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) snapped its 15-year-old ties with the Congress reducing the Prithviraj Chavan government to minority.
