NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday slapped a notice on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for his announcement, at a September 8 public meeting, on revival of sugar mills at Motipur in Bihar. The notice asked Mr. Pawar to show cause by Friday why action should not be taken against him for violation of the model code of conduct, sources in the EC said.

The notice followed a complaint that Mr. Pawar had flouted the code, promising the electorate that the Government would start sugar mills to improve the lot of cane farmers in Muzaffarpur district. He promised them that closed sugar mills would be revived after the Assembly elections were over and that the first to be reopened would be the Motipur mill, the complaint said.

The notice said: "The Commission has seen a video recording which shows that you did make promises and assurances to the electorate at the political meeting." As the model code came into force on September 3 prohibiting assurances of any new schemes or projects by Union Ministers, "your promises to the electorate amount to a violation of the code."

During his visit to Muzaffarpur last week, Chief Election Commissioner B.B. Tandon indicated that a thorough probe would be conducted and action initiated if the complaint was found true.

Reminder of dos and don'ts

PTI reports:

The EC reminded the Centre of the dos and don'ts to be observed in the run-up to the Bihar elections.

In a letter to the Cabinet Secretary and the Chief Secretary of Bihar, it said the model code stipulated that ministers and other authorities should not announce financial grants in any form, make promises or lay the foundation for projects or schemes.

The code barred them from making any promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities or ad hoc appointments in government or public undertakings that might influence voters in favour of the party in power.

There would be a total ban on transfer of officers connected with the conduct of the election, the sources said. The transfer orders issued prior to the date of announcement of the elections but not implemented so far should not be given effect to without the EC's clearance.

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