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Karnataka bypolls: ECI writes to Govt over guarantee funds release; Shivakumar alleges ‘BJP conspiracy’
The ECI letter was released to the media by the Congress, alleging that it was a ploy to stop the five guarantee schemes of the Karnataka Government.
The letter said that since MCC provisions were in force, no fresh release of funds on welfare schemes should be made without ECI’s prior approval. (File Photo)
The Election Commission of India has written to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh regarding alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) arising from the release of grants under guarantee schemes ahead of the bypolls scheduled for Thursday.
A letter from ECI, dated April 2, was released to the media by the Congress on Tuesday, alleging a ploy to stop the five guarantee schemes.
The letter by the ECI secretary said that they had received information regarding “fresh sanction of financial benefits to beneficiaries of the schemes (Gruha Lakshmi, Yuva Nidhi, Shakti Scheme, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya) in the districts of the 2 Bye-election going Assembly Constituencies.”
Bypolls are scheduled in Davanagere South and Bagalkot constituencies on April 9.
The letter said that since MCC provisions were in force, no fresh release of funds on welfare schemes should be made without ECI’s prior approval. The poll body sought details from Rajneesh regarding the release of funds to beneficiaries in the Davanagere and Bagalkot districts, where the two constituencies are located.
The details, ECI said, should include “the name of the officer concerned who sanctioned such release of funds.” It added that if the funds were not released, they should not be released without the Commission’s permission.
Reacting to the same, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he discussed the release of funds with officials who informed him that benefits under the schemes were provided till March. “This month’s instalment will be released after elections,” he told reporters in Davanagere.
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According to Shivakumar, the letter was part of a larger conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to stop guarantee schemes and “thereby attack the poor and unemployed youth.” Voters will respond to such acts, he added.
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