M A I N   N E W S

Punjab Votes ’07
EC notices to ministers
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 25
In a late-evening development, the Election Commission of India (EC) today issued notices to Punjab ministers for violating the code of conduct while going to file their nominations.

Among those who have been issued notices are Mr Ramesh Chander Dogra (Dasuya), Mr Partap Singh Bajwa (Kahnuwan), Mr Mohinder Singh Kaypee (Jalandhar South), Mr Jagmohan Singh Kang (Morinda), Ms Gurkanwal Kaur (Jalandhar Cantt), Mr Jasbir Singh Brar (Jalandhar Cantt), Mr Kamal Batra (Jalandhar Cantt), Mr Balbir Singh Miani (Tanda), Ms Sukhjinder Kaur Rana (Kapurthala), Mr Tota Singh (Moga), Mr Nirmal Singh Kahlon (Fatehgarh Churian), Mr Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa (Kadian), and Mr Fatehjang Singh Bajwa (Hargobindpur).

They have been told to file their reply by 11 am of January 27.

Sukhbir too
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 25
The Election Commission today issued show-cause notice to Sukhbir Badal, general secretary of Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary and son of party chief Parkash Singh Badal, for violating the model code of conduct.

Taking a suo motto cognizance of media reports, the member poll panel issued show caused notice to Akali leader, who is campaigning in the state, asking why action should not be taken against him.

He has been asked to file his reply to the alleged code violation by January 27.

Lok Sabha member Sukhbir Badal is not contesting the assembly polls. However, the US-educated management graduate is actively campaigning and formulating the party’s electoral strategy for the past few month and giving final touches to market the party’s poll promises.

The Commission took strong views of the reports that Sukhbir Badal used a helicopter to reach Gidderbaha to address to a rally in support the party’s candidate Manpreet Badal.

The chopper landed at Malwa School without any prior permission for the authorities which was a breach of security and violation of the code.

Returning Officer of the area Charandev Singh Mann was quoted in media reports that the landing of the helicopter was a clear case of code violation and he had reported the matter to the CEO.

Meanwhile, EC sources said Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal today filed their replies to the show cause notices issued to them for violating the code.

The EC observed that both of them had flouted its directive. It said large number of vehicles and party supporters accompanied Congress chief ministerial candidate when he went to the office of the Returning Officer to file his nomination, which is a violation of the model code of conduct.

SAD chief apart from being accompanied by a large number of supporters and vehicles, also talked to the newspersons inside the office of the Returning Officer.

The model code and EC instructions that the candidate should observe while filing his nomination state that “the maximum number of vehicles that will be allowed to come within the periphery of 100 m of ROs /ROs office shall be three and maximum number of persons that will be allowed to enter the office of ROs/ROs at the time of filing nomination shall be candidate plus number of proposers as prescribed by law plus four other individuals.

It said the expenditure on the vehicles that will be coming along with the candidate at the time of filing nominations shall be taken into account for calculating his expenditure if he remains in fray.”

Issuing the show cause notice to the two leaders, the Commission asked why action should not be taken against them for the alleged violating the Model Code of Conduct.