With code in place, packs of pulses not to carry Himachal CM’s photo

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, March 27

To ensure the compliance of the Model Code of Conduct in force ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Himachal Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corporation (HPSCSC) has directed the fair price shops (depot holders) to ensure that packed pulses do not carry photos of the Chief Minister.

The depot holders have been told to tear the packets before giving pulses to ration card holders in their respective areas.

The state government is providing any three of the four pulses — maash, malka, moong and dal chana — at subsidised rates to the ration card holders in different categories through fair price shops being run by the HPSCSC.

The packets of maash and malka pulses are carrying photographs of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Around 19.50 lakh ration card holders in the state are getting three pulses,

sugar, edible oil, wheat

flour, rice and salt at subsidised rates from the HPSCSC outlets.

A senior HPSCSC official said the distribution of pulses in packets, bearing the Chief Minister’s photo, to the consumers might

invite the Election Commission action.

Not taking any chances, the authorities had issued requisite instructions to all depot holders in the state, the official added. He said the supplying agency had also been directed to provide packed food items without the Chief Minister’s photograph till the time the MCC was in the force in the state.

District Food And Supply Controller Parshotam Singh said requisite instructions had been passed to all depot holders across the district for tearing packets of pulses carrying photograph of the Chief Minister.

A strict action would be taken if the poll code violation in this regard was found in the district, he added.

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