NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday sent video footage to Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on his reported statements regarding "announcement" of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the higher educational institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management.

Mr. Singh had sought video clippings reportedly showing him "announcing" reservation for the OBCs on April 5. "We have sent him the CDs and any action would be taken only after we receive a reply from the Government," Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here on Monday.

The EC had sent a notice to Mr. Singh on April 6 for violating the code of conduct since elections had been announced for five States. The Minister, in his reply to the Commission, had claimed that he made no announcement and said the quota was an existing scheme. The Minister and the Cabinet Secretary had said that no concession had been announced.

However, the Election Commission had sought clarification from Mr. Singh on the ground that it had viewed press clipping and visuals in the electronic media on April 6 and found contradictions in the press statement given by Mr. Singh and in his reply. The Minister and the Government had been asked to clarify their positions by April 18 (Tuesday). The Human Resource Development Minister had, in response, sought the video footage that was sent to him by the Election Commission this evening, Mr. Balakrishnan said.

On the issue of `office of profit,' Mr. Balakrishnan said they had received complaints against 176 MLAs from 21 Governors and 39 against MPs through Presidential reference. These included 30 members of Lok Sabha and 9 members of the Rajya Sabha. He, however, declined to make any comment on these complaints.

Regarding JD (U) elections, Mr. Balakrishnan said the Commission had not received any complaint from George Fernandes or any other person.

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