Uploading show cause notice on website wrong: Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday criticised the Election Commission (EC), claiming that uploading a show cause notice on a website was wrong procedure.

The minister also said he will respond to the notice, whose contents he said, did not have any merit.

"Why should the Election Commission upload the notice on a website? Notice should be served on an individual. It is an absolutely wrong procedure to put it on a website, they have now given me notice," Parrikar told a press conference held at the party's state headquarters in Panaji.

"I will reply to them what are their errors and where they are faltering," he said.

On Wednesday, EC Secretary Sumit Mukherjee had issued a show cause notice to Parrikar in connection with a poll speech made by the former Goa Chief Minister during the ongoing election campaign.

Parrikar had told voters at a slum near Panaji that it was alright to accept money from rival candidates but also asked them to eventually vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He said he had learnt about the notice only after reporters in the national capital asked him about the same.

"Afterwards, I called the Election Commission and asked... I was given an envelope. I have given it to my advocate, they have asked for a response by 1 p.m. tomorrow, I will do it," he said.

"First of all, let me respond. I do not see any merit in it," Parrikar added.

--IANS

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