EC imposes fine on SAD-BJP for putting up unauthorised banners

The Election Commission today imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 each on SAD and BJP for putting up unauthorised hoardings and banners during the road show of the saffron party's candidate Arun Jaitley in Amritsar on Tuesday.
Returning Officer, Amritsar, had issued a show cause notice to both district unit presidents of BJP and SAD for violation of Model Code of Conduct during Jaitley's road show and rally, an election office spokesman said.
The Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, had incurred an expenditure to the tune of Rs 1.80 lakh for removing these hoardings and banners.
Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Raminder Singh said a team of ECI led by CEC V S Sampath is expected to visit Punjab next week to review arrangements for Lok Sabha elections to be held in the state on April 30 for 13 seats.

During the visit, the CEC would hold meetings with representatives of political parties and state officials, Singh added.
The Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies had submitted a report regarding two separate complaints of Congress MPs Preneet Kaur and Partap Singh Bajwa, regarding distribution of blue cards with photographs of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal after the imposition of MCC, the Additional CEO said.

In his reply the Secretary said no new cards were distributed after March 5 and ration as per National Food Security Act was being distributed to existing card holders.
Singh said the Commission agreeing with the report of Food and Civil Supplies Secretary has forwarded the same to EC.

He said that Secretary, Social Security has replied to the allegations of distribution bicycles to school students after the imposition of MCC in district Sangrur.
As per the reply, the parts of the cycles yet to be assembled were being kept in various schools in the stores and no assembled bicycles were being distributed.
The Commission has ordered sealing of all stores in all districts till the election process was over and found that there was no violation of MCC.
On complaints received by the Commission after announcement of elections, Singh said that till date 177 complaints have been received by the EC out of which 117 dealt with violation of MCC whereas 60 related to issues like transfers.

Meanwhile, new voters can get enrolled in the state upto April 2.