ECI issues notice to Karnataka govt on advts in Telangana newspapers

Apart from seeking an explanation, ECI asked the Chief Secretary of Karnataka government to immediately stop the publication of any such advertisements in Telangana

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued a notice to the Congress-led Karnataka government over violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by placing government advertisements in several newspapers in the poll-bound Telangana. The Chief Secretary of Karnataka was asked to submit an explanation for MCC violation before 5 pm on Tuesday.

In its notice, the EC said the BJP and the BRS had brought to its notice that the Karnataka government published advertisements in Hyderabad editions of several newspapers. The commission also examined its own records and found that neither such approval was granted by it nor any such application from Karnataka was pending for decision.

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“The said act of giving advertisements highlighting the welfare schemes and achievements of the government by the Government of Karnataka in newspapers having circulation in the poll-going State of Telangana is in gross violation of the Commission’s directions,” the EC notice stated.

Apart from seeking an explanation, the poll panel asked the Chief Secretary of Karnataka government to immediately stop the publication of any such advertisements in Telangana. Further, the Karnataka government has also been asked to explain why disciplinary action is not taken against the Secretary-in-charge of the department of Information and Public Relations for the said MCC violations.