The Asian Age

I- T dept notices sent to Pawars, Thackerays over poll affidavits

- BHAGWAN PARAB with agency inputs

The income- tax department has issued a notice to NCP supremo Sharad Pawar seeking a clarificat­ion on his poll affidavits submitted to the Election Commission. He took a dig at the Centre, saying the notice was sent to him because the government “loves us”.

The veteran Maharashtr­a leader on Tuesday confirmed he has received a notice from the Centre asking for a “clarificat­ion and explanatio­n” on his election affidavits. “I got the notice yesterday. We are happy that they

I got the notice yesterday. We are happy that they ( Centre) have a special love for us ( Pawar family) among all members. The notice was served by the I- T department after the Election Commission asked ( it) to... We will reply to the notice.

— Sharad Pawar NCP supremo

( Centre) have a special love for us ( Pawar family) among all members. The notice was served by the IT

department after the Election Commission asked ( it) to... We will reply to the notice,” he said.

The notice was in reference to the affidavits submitted in 2009- 10, 2014 as well as 2020. Mr Pawar said the department was seeking some informatio­n and clarificat­ions related to the last three elections, and similar notices were also sent to his daughter Supriya Sule, a Lok Sabha MP, Mr Pawar said.

Besides the NCP chief and Ms Sule, similar notices were also sent by the I- T department to Maharashtr­a chief minister Uddhav Thackeray

and his son Aaditya, the state environmen­t minister. The Election Commission is learnt to have reminded the Central Board of Direct Taxes of its request to probe the allegation­s of false affidavits being filed by Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray and Supriya Sule. Mr Pawar has also refuted the possibilit­y of the imposition of President’s Rule in Maharashtr­a, saying that the Uddhav Thackeray- led MVA coalition government had a clear majority in the Maharashtr­a Assembly. “Is there any reason for ( imposing President’s Rule)? Is President’s Rule some joke?” he asked. of

Union minister state for social justice Ramdas Athawale had said that President’s Rule should be imposed in Maharashtr­a, alleging that the MVA government had failed to handle the law and order situation in the state. Independen­t MP Navneet Kaur- Rana had also demanded that President’s Rule be imposed in the state.

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