Kumaraswamy dares EC to send notices to PM

Mysore, Nov 30 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today challenged the Election Commission to send notices to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for announcing reduction in petrol prices across the country when many States were going to the polls on December four.

Speaking to media persons near Doddamarigowda Halli after campaigning for the JD(S) candidate for the Chamundeswari Assembly bypoll, he asked whether the Union Government's announcement was not a violation of the model code of conduct.

Referring to the EC reprimanding him for violating the model code of conduct in the byelection, Mr Kumaraswamy alleged that it was evident that the EC was working under the instructions of the Congress-led Union Government and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi as a Congress delegation met the EC officials before the notice was sent to him yesterday.

On the EC taking exception to the provision of loans to poor SC/ST people in the State, he said the scheme was announced in October, much before the model code of conduct came into force on Nobember seven.

Stating that he had answered all the points raised by the EC, he said perhaps there was no instance in the past of the EC serving notices to a Chief Minister daily on every complaint made to it, though each of it was ''baseless''.

MORE UNI BSP GD HVB1845