No case against Sonia, Cong told EC before notice

New Delhi, Feb 18 (UNI) The Congress had written to the Election Commission that there was no case against its President Sonia Gandhi, even before a notice was served on her, the party said today.

''We wrote to the EC on the basis of newspaper reports that no case can be made out for serving the notice on Ms Gandhi,'' Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

''Now we will repeat it in the reply to the notice in a strong and befitting manner,'' Mr Singhvi said.

''We will give a strong, comprehensive reply,'' he added.

Asked whether the EC should be blamed, he merely said:'' There is no question of allocating blame.'' He said the Congress had almost three weeks to reply to the notice.

On Friday, the Election Commission had served a notice on Mrs Gandhi on a disqualification complaint against her for having accepted a Belgian honour.

Mr Singhvi reiterated that the complaint was false and frivolous and had no substance.

He said the reply would point out that Ms Gandhi did not seek the award, which was a mere civil decoration, and that accepting it amounted to owing allegiance to another country was way off the mark.

UNI YJ HS RS1830