The Election Commission on Monday issued a notice to the Karnataka government for putting out advertisements highlighting its achievements and welfare schemes in newspapers in poll-bound Telangana. The commission said this was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The notice follows a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day. In a letter to the Karnataka Chief Secretary, the commission sought an explanation in the matter by Tuesday. It sought to know why disciplinary action had not been initiated against the secretary in charge of the Department of Information and Broadcasting of Karnataka for violations of procedure as required under the Model Code of Conduct. It also asked the Karnataka government to stop with immediate effect further publication of such advertisements in Telangana till necessary approvals are taken by the government from the commission.
Earlier, the BJP lodged a complaint with the commission, accusing the Congress government in Karnataka of putting out advertisements in the Telangana media with an eye on the Assembly election in the State. The BJP urged the commission to take action against the Congress.
A BJP delegation, including Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is also the party Telangana in-charge, Sudhanshu Trivedi and Om Pathak, submitted a complaint to the commission stating that the Congress had violated the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi later, Mr. Yadav said the Karnataka government had for two days published advertisements in the English and Telugu media of Telangana.
Citing poll rules and regulations, he said it was a “corrupt practice” aimed at influencing polls and asserted that such an action was more evidence that the Congress was “devaluing democratic institutions and norms”.
“What the Congress has done is using public money to influence elections in another State,” he said, calling for legal action against the Congress.
Mr. Trivedi asked the Congress if the government of Karnataka had brought out advertisements in all Indian languages and not just in Telugu and English. If it had not done so, then the Congress’s action was “violative of rules”, he said.
“The Congress party and the government of Karnataka should be held accountable,” Mr. Trivedi said.
The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana had also made a similar complaint on November 25.
Assembly election is scheduled to held in Telangana on November 30, with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the Congress, and the BJP locked in a three-way battle.
