EC tells states to ready model code

New Delhi: In an indication that Assembly elections to five states could be announced anytime now, the Election Commission has asked the Centre and the state governments to implement the model code of conduct as soon as the schedule is out. The EC has sent a letter in this regard to chief secretaries of UP, Goa, Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand.

The raging ticket war in the Samajwadi Party came out into the open on Wednesday when Mulayam Singh Yadav announced the candidates for 325 of the 403 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, ignoring his son Akhilesh Yadav’s objections.

The SP supremo’s move to announce 325 of the 403 Assembly seats in UP also curtailed his son's move to strike an alliance with the Congress.

“Samjawadi party is not forming an alliance with anyone,” Mulayam Singh Yadav announced and added, “Names of candidates for the rest of 78 seats would be announced soon.”

Just two weeks ago Akhilesh Yadav had indicated that the SP and Congress leaders were in touch for a possible alliance, and had gone so far as to say that “if there is an alliance, we will get over 300 seats.”

To add insult to injury, senior Yadav’s list on Wednesday ignored proAkhilesh ministers and MLAs, including Ram Govind Chaudhary, Pawan Pandey, Arvind Sing Gope, Tej Narain Pandey and Kamal Akhtar, but included names of some minister he had sacked. It also included Sigbatullah Ansari, brother of jailed gangster Mukhtar

Ansari, and Atiq Ahmed who faces over 40 In an indication that schedule for Assembly polls to five state Assemblies could be announced soon, the Election Commission of India has asked the Centre and state governments to implement the model code of conduct as soon as the schedule is out.

Sources in the EC said Assembly polls to these five states could be announced by 4 January. criminal cases, including of murder and attempt to murder. The CM is opposed to both candidates.

Some of the ministers Except Uttar Pradesh, which may go for a seven-phased election, the other states could have elections on a single day.

Sources stated that the instructions came in a letter by the poll panel to the cabinet secretary and chief secretaries of the poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab.

The commission has compiled a set of instructions issued in the past to drive home sacked by Akhilesh Yadav — Om Prakash Singh, Narad Rai, Shadab Fatima and Yogesh Pratap Singh — the point that model code should be implemented effectively with the announcement of poll schedule.

The list of dos and don’ts issued by the Commission includes prevention of misuse of public place, avoiding use of official vehicles for campaigning, removing pictures of political functionaries from state government websites and bar on use of public money for advertisements to help the ruling party. have been given tickets.

Till last week the ticket war seemed confined to Shivpal Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav.