Denying that he had announced opening of sugar mills at a public rally in Motipur, Muzzaffarnagar, Bihar, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said he is well aware of the constraints that the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct imposes on the government.In his reply to the EC’s showcause notice, Pawar stated that had he not been aware of the Model Code, he would have announced a large number of projects that the sugar mills in Bihar deserved. To prove his point further, Pawar also attached a copy of his Motipur rally speech along with his reply to the EC, sources said.The Commission is yet to take note of Pawar’s reply, as Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon is in Bihar. ‘‘A decision will be taken once the CEC comes back from his tour,’’ EC officials said.On September 13, the EC issued a showcause notice to Pawar for promising to start new sugar mills and revive sick ones at an election rally in Motipur, thus violating the Model Code of Conduct.Prior to the Motipur rally, the EC had sent a letter to the Cabinet Secretary, reiterating the Model Code of Conduct which prohibits Union ministers or the government authority to announce any scheme/project/financial grants after the dates of the election are announced.
