BJP moves EC against SP's smartphone scheme

BJP today filed a petition before the Election Commission against the Samajwadi Party's smartphone distribution scheme, saying it amounted to violation of the Model Code of Conduct in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

In a letter to the chief electoral officer here, senior BJP Vice President, J P S Rathore said SP was continuing with the registration of benefitiaries under its smartphone scheme which was against the mode code.

He demanded that the registration of beneficiaries for the scheme should be stopped forthwith.

It also objected to display of the photograph of Chief Minister Akhliesh Yadav on official website of the UP government which, he said, was the violation of model code.

The "Samajwadi Free Smartphone Vitran Yojna" was announced by Akhilesh in September last year.

While launching the scheme, he had promised free smartphones if his party returns to power.

The state government has launched a website where people can get themselves enrolled under the scheme.

Under this, the SP government would be offering free smartphones to any individual who is above 18 years of age and has passed class 10th.

The scheme was announced in September 2016, much before the dates for the 2017 state polls were declared by the EC.

The registration began on October 16 and will continue till January 31.