Guj MLAs issue: EC seeks 'factual report' from Fin Secy

The Election Commission this evening sought a "factual report" from the Finance Secretary on Congress's allegation that its MLAs from Gujarat were intimidated by central forces in a Karnataka resort during an income tax raid, a senior poll panel functionary said.

The functionary, who refused to be quoted, said the Finance Secretary has been asked to send a "factual report by Friday evening" on the allegations levelled by the Congress.

The party had alleged that its MLAs from Gujarat, who have found a safe haven in a Karnataka resort, were being terrorised and intimidated by the central security forces, used by the central government in garb of income tax investigations against Karnataka minister D K Shivkumar.
 

The MLAs have been kept there to ensure they are not "poached" by BJP ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls.

Earlier, a Congress delegation met the Election Commission and sought its intervention in ensuring that no coercive steps were taken against its MLAs in order to "force" them to switch sides.