EC asks CSPs to guard against 'mischievous political SMSes'

Gandhinagar, Nov 8 (UNI) The Election Commission has instructed the Cellular Service Providers (CSPs) to take legal action against anyone sending ''mischievous political SMSes'', in view of the December elections.

The EC has also directed the CSPs to initiate legal and police action against those ''bulk senders and aggregators'' who indulged in misusing their services for party campaigning in violation of the election code of conduct.

Gujarat Chief Election Officer Vinod Babbar told UNI that as per the directives of the EC, six cellphone service providers -- BSNL, Vodafone, Tata Telecom, Airtel, Idea and Reliance Infocomm -- have been asked to inform the EC about individuals or political parties violating the code.

Mr Babbar said the EC has also directed the CSPs to stop all bulk SMSes during the last two days before the election days of December 11 and 16 in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesman Shashiranjan Yadav said the Party has no plans to send campaign messages through SMS. But BJP workers will definitely send messages to their friends and relatives without violating the code of conduct, Mr Yadav said.

The Congress, too, has said it has no objection to the EC directive. But, Congress workers have set public speeches of their leaders as incoming (caller) tunes, sources said.

UNI