Chandigarh, April 6
The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda asking him to explain why he had travelled in a vehicle with read beacon atop it while he was allegedly on a political visit to Rohtak. The EC has also ordered the transfer of Panchkula DC Rajinder Kumar Kataria with immediate effect.

A few days ago, the INLD and the BJP had written to the EC that since Kataria was the son-in-law of Haryana Congress president Phool Chand Mullana, he should be transferred from his post immediately. Panchkula is part of the Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. These parties had also demanded that Kataria should be repatriated to his parent cadre of Karnataka.

Acting on the directions of the EC, the state government has decided to send a panel of three officers to the EC for appointment as DC, Panchkula. The government cannot field any officer without the approval of the EC during the enforcement of the model code of conduct. It is not known if the EC has said anything about Kataria’s repatriation also.

Meanwhile, secretary-general of the INLD Ajay Singh Chautala has welcomed the EC’s decision to issue notice to Hooda and transfer Kataria. He said the EC’s decision had vindicated what the INLD had been saying about the misuse of official machinery by the ruling party for its electoral advantage.