EC cautions Lalu, asks Sharad Yadav to explain allegations

The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday issued a note of caution to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and asked JD-U president Sharad Yadav to explain allegations of violation of model code of conduct during campaigning for the Bihar assembly elections.

The EC said that it had issued the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief a notice pertaining to an election meeting in Terasia village on September 27, where he made the "impugned statements".

The commission said Lalu Prasad's response was not "convincing" and it was observed that in his reply to the poll panel he did not deny making such statements.

Therefore, the poll panel cautioned him "to abide by the provisions of the model code of conduct in letter and spirit and be more careful in public utterances during election campaigns in future".

In a similar notice to Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav, the EC said he made a communal appeal for votes while addressing a public meeting in Nalanda on October 7.

"If one fails to fulfil his promise, if he is Hindu, he will not go to heaven after death and in case he is a Muslim he will not go to Allah (God)," he allegedly said.

The EC has asked Sharad Yadav to explain his stand on or before 3 p.m. on October 17, failing which the poll panel would take a decision without further reference to him.