EC seeks report from Surat collector on Modi speech

Surat, Dec 5 (UNI) The Election Commission today said it had sought a report from the Surat Collector on the speech of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi justifying the killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh in an encounter, and will take a decision on the issue only after studying the same.

''I have not yet received a report from Surat collector on the speech of Narendra Modi,'' Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy told reporters here.

''The news has appeared in the media but once we read an official report by the collector we will decide on what to do,'' he said.

Mr Modi, at a meeting at Magrol (Surat District) yesterday, had justified the killing of Soharabuddin in an encounter and said such elements will be dealt with in the same manner in the state.

The three-member Election Commission team is on a three-day visit to the state and was in South Gujarat to take stock of the situation ahead of the first phase of polls to be held on December 11.

The EC has appointed 'micro observers' this time to monitor poll process and cases would be filed against those found to be involved in bogus voting, Mr Gopalaswamy said in reply to a question on how the EC plans to deal with bogus voting.

Congress, in a memorandum, has raised the issue of bogus voting and said there were newspaper reports saying that BJP workers were buying the Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) from voters.

UNI