INLD candidate's elephant ride for nomination irks EC

An INLD candidate in Haryana has been served notice by the Election Commission (EC) for riding an elephant in his nomination procession, it was said Sunday.

Zakir Hussain, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate from Nuh assembly seat in Mewat district, some 90 km from here, has been served notice by the EC for violating the model code of conduct.

He filed his nomination before returning officer (RO) of Nuh Sep 26. More then 250 people attended the function while he was sitting on an elephant.

"No permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden was obtained for riding an elephant which was being handled with banned iron 'ankush'. A male elephant can became violent any time, create nuisance while damaging public property and endangering lives," the notice said.

The notice was issued on a complaint of the United Nations-affiliated OIPA (International Organisation for Animal Protection) -- an international confederation of associations for animal protection and for their defence.

Naresh Kadyan of OIPA and the NGO People for Animals have demanded immediate lodging of an FIR against Hussain and cancellation of his candidature.

They have also called for confiscating the abused wild animal and taking action against its owner.

Hussain was also an INLD candidate from the Gurgaon seat for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but lost to BJP's Rao Inderjit Singh, now minister of state (independent charge) for planning, statistics and programme implementation.