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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | EC slaps show-cause notice on Salman Khurshid for announcing 9% minority quota in UP by Bharti Jain

EC slaps show-cause notice on Salman Khurshid for announcing 9% minority quota in UP by Bharti Jain

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published Published on Jan 11, 2012   modified Modified on Jan 11, 2012

The Election Commission has decided to slap a show-cause notice on law minister Salman Khurshid for announcing 9% quota for minorities in UP in the event of Congress assuming power in the state. The Commission has prima facie found that he had violated the model code of conduct by issuing an appeal to voters along communal lines. 

Even though Congress manifesto is set to formally promise 9% quota for minorities in state government jobs, the commission felt that Khurshid's appeal even before the manifesto's release was against the letter and spirit of the model code of conduct. 

"Had Khurshid spoken about the minority quota after the release of the Congress manifesto, EC would not have had any objection since he would have then only communicated the party's policy. But given that the Congress manifesto is still not public, his statement will be seen as an appeal along communal lines," a senior EC official told ET. 

As per EC sources, the notice may be sent to Khurshid on Wednesday. He will be asked to explain why appropriate action should not be initiated against him for disturbing the level playing field by seeking votes (on behalf of his wife, Louise, Congress candidate from Farrukhabad) along communal lines. 

The notice to Khurshid came after a BJP delegation called on EC on Tuesday to complain against the law minister's Farrukhabad statement. "Congress is trying to divide UP on the base of religion and caste to hide corruptiona¦Whatever Salman Khurshid has said on 9% Muslim sub-quota is unconstitutional. This is a violation of model code of conduct," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters outside Nirvachan Sadan. 

Incidentally, EC has no penal powers to enforce the model code of conduct, which is no more than a written understanding reached among different political parties to ensure a level playing field during elections. Khurshid has the option of defending himself by replying to the notice or tendering an apology to the Commission. As for EC, it can at most censure the law minister with a strongly-worded order denouncing his Farrukhabad statement. 

It has almost become a practice for political leaders to appease select communities or castes ahead of polls in spite of the model code. Even though this brings them an occasional rap from EC, most leaders feel that this is a risk worth taking as their purpose of reaching out to the targeted community or caste is served once the appeal is made. 

Even in Salman Khurshid's case, the 9% minority quota promise has already reached Muslim voters, EC's objections notwithstanding. It will now help Congress upset its rivals' calculations of Muslim support.


The Economic Times, 11 January, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/ec-slaps-show-cause-notice-on-salman-khurshid-for-announcing-9-minority-quota-in-up/articleshow/11442766.


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