The Goa chief secretary has been asked by election authorities here to respond to a complaint that two Officers on Special Duty in the chief minister's office were campaigning for the ruling BJP.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Keshav Chandra told reporters at a briefing Wednesday that the chief secretary was expected to file a response to the complaint filed by the Congress soon.
"We have already sent them a copy of the complaint and sought a response," Chandra said.
The complaint filed by Congress party alleges that joint secretary in the Chief Minister's Office Siddharth Kunkolienkar and Giriraj Pai Vernekar, special assistant to chief minister Manohar Parrikar, both of whose salaries were paid through the state exchequer were violating the model code of conduct by campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"They have been appointed as Officers on Special Duty (OSD) and given these designations in the CMO. They are drawing a salary from the state exchequer, which is public money. They cannot be allowed to campaign for a political party during code of conduct," claims Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app