Poll panel warns Tharoor over cash-for-vote charges

Commission issues warning for violating code of conduct and levelling ‘unsubstantiated’ allegations against Chandrasekhar; TV channel told not to air impugned part of interview

The Election Commission (EC) has reprimanded Shashi Tharoor, the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, for violating the model code of conduct (MCC) by levelling “unsubstantiated” allegations at National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The action has been taken in connection with Mr. Tharoor’s reported allegation that he made during an interview with a news channel that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader had offered money to voters and religious leaders in exchange for vote.

News channel

Thiruvananthapuram Subcollector Aswathy Sreenivas, who is also the MCC nodal officer, has issued a “strict warning” to Mr.

Tharoor, instructing him to refrain from making unverified allegations in violation of the MCC.

The news channel has also been directed not to broadcast the impugned part of the interview and remove any other form of publication of the particular content until the MCC is lifted.

Tharoor’s denial

In a statement submitted to the Election Commission, Mr. Tharoor denied having named Mr. Chandrasekhar or the BJP during the interview and asserted the allegation had been made as a “general observation” as told to him by the people.

However, the MCC nodal officer found his explanation to be untenable “as the imputations when read along with the context of the interview pointed at Rajeev Chandrasekhar”. It was also observed that Mr. Tharoor had offered no proof on the “unwarranted” statements that he made in the interview.

The channel also submitted that no part of the interview was edited out, and the impugned statement formed part of the actual interview.

‘Fitting reply’

Mr. Chandrasekhar said the warning served by the commission is a fitting reply to the “smear campaign” unleashed by the UDF candidate. Addressing mediapersons here, the BJP leader accused both the Congress and Left Democratic Front (LDF) of attempting to divert public attention from development issues and stagnant growth in the capital.

The warning by EC is a fitting reply to the smear campaign unleashed by the UDF candidate

NDA candidate

Officer removed

Ms. Sreenivas also issued orders to remove K.N. Ashok Kumar, section officer, Finance department, from the post of presiding officer in the Aruvikkara Assembly constituency for the upcoming polls.

The decision was taken on the basis of a complaint by the BJP that Mr. Kumar, who is also the general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)]aligned Kerala Secretariat Employees Association, had been associated with the distribution of leaflets containing political propaganda and bearing his name.

The head of the department where Mr. Kumar works has also been recommended to censure the officer for distributing political propaganda materials favouring a political party.