SEC serves notice to ministers on code violation

Bhubaneswar, Jan 6 (UNI) The State Election Commission(SEC) has served notices to Orissa Finance Minister P C Ghadei and Industry Minister B B Harichandan on the allegation of violation of code of conduct for the Panchayat polls.

The SEC, while taking cognizance of newspaper report, had directed the Sambalpur District Collector to conduct an inquiry and submit a report by January 9 on the violation of code of conduct by these two senior ministers while making speech at the Foundation Day celebration of the Sambalpur University.

Showcause notice had also been issued against Sambalpur University Vice-Chancellor Pradeep Chandra Tripathy,SEC office sources said.

Both Mr Ghadei and Mr Harichandan had attended the function at Jyoti Vihar last Thursday and reportedly made some announcement in clear violation of the model code of conduct for the Panchayat election imposed on December 26. The code would be effective till February 21.

The SEC had made it clear that the ministers had been prohibited to use official vehicle to attend any function and make any announcement of the government programmes to ensure a free and fair elections.

The Commission had also earlier taken exception to some ministers attending party functions in their official vehicle and sought clarification from the ruling BJD on the allegation of screening of a short film prepared jointly by the state Tourism department and the Orissa Mining Corporation(OMC) where the party's symbol had been highlighted.

UNI