EC rejects Jayalalitha's defence of violation of Model Code of Conduct

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha's defence of violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was rejected by the Election Commission (EC) on Friday.

Cautioning her to be careful in future, the EC said that she should not make announcements of new schemes to lure voters during elections.

Earlier, in her reply to a notice from the EC, Jayalalithaa claimed she had not violated the Model Code provisions and that the announcements made by her were general in nature.

The EC had issued a notice to her on December 2 for violation of the Model Code by announcing new schemes ahead of December 4 Yercaud assembly bye-poll in the state.

The EC said, the MCC endeavours to ensure a level-playing field between contesting parties and candidates in election and also to see that the purity of the election process does not get vitiated.

The EC said that all political parties, and more so its prominent leaders, are expected to scrupulously follow the MCC in letter and spirit, and not resort to any subterfuge to circumvent its provisions.