PANAJI/MAPUSA: Goa chief electoral officer Kunal Monday confirmed the receipt of a complaint filed before his office by Goa Forward Party against Defence Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar for violating the Election Commission’s model code of conduct even as Mapusa police have booked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also for violating the poll code, following directions from the Election Commission of India.
Goa Forward Party spokesperson Durgadas Kamat has filed a complaint before the state chief electoral office and attached a video clip alleging that Parrikar on Sunday told residents during a corner meeting in a slum area in Chimbel that it is okay to accept Rs 500 from election candidates to attend rallies but they should cast votes for BJP only.
The state chief electoral office has referred the complaint to the Election Commission of India.
This complaint was filed on a day when the state poll officials, on directions from the Election Commission of India, filed an FIR against Kejriwal for making a similar statement during a public meeting in Goa.
Kejriwal, in his public speeches in Goa earlier this month, had asked voters to accept money given by other parties, but vote only for AAP.
“The returning officer of Mapusa has filed an FIR with the Mapusa police against Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over his bribery remark. The matter is sub-judice now. We have also asked the returning officer to transcribe the video of Union minister Parrikar and send us the report to forward it to the Election Commission for necessary action,” said Kunal.
However, sources in the chief electoral office said that the Election Commission has already been informed about the complaint.
Mapusa police Monday booked Kejriwal for violating the poll code following directions from the Election Commission of India. Returning officer for Mapusa Gurudas Dessai has lodged a complaint with the Mapusa police stating that during star campaigning of AAP at a public meeting held in Mapusa on January 8 at the Mapusa taxi stand, Kejriwal had appealed to the voters to accept money from other candidates but vote for AAP candidates.
Later, the Bharatiya Janata Party had filed a complaint with the chief electoral officer against Kejriwal and accordingly, after following the process, the Election Commission had directed the state poll officials to file an FIR against the AAP leader. Acting on the complaint, the Mapusa police has registered an offence against Kejriwal and booked him under Section 123(1) of Representation of Peoples Act of 1941 and Sections 171(B), 171(E) of the Indian penal code.
Meanwhile, the chief electoral officer has asked the cyber cell of Goa police to initiate action against three Facebook pages – ‘Let’s talk issues-wake up Goa,’ ‘Fat chalchi na’ and ‘mission Goa’ for posting political matter and advertisements without pre-certification from the MCMC committee and violating the model code of conduct.
“Whosoever, posting on Facebook will have to do it with sincerity and keeping in mind the legal framework and especially the Supreme Court guidelines on language, caste and religion. Prior approval is needed from MCMC for political advertisement on social media,” Kunal said.
Meanwhile, Old Goa police have arrested a booth level officer (BLO) in Cumbharjua constituency for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.
According to police, BLO Lira Fernandes was arrested and subsequently released on bail. A complaint in this regard was lodged by returning officer (RO) Prasad Volvoikar.
Referring to the complaint, police said that the accused person was appointed as BLO and entrusted with the duty of distribution of voter slips to voters in a part in Cumbharjua constituency. She illegally handed the voter slips to an unauthorised person thus violating the model code of conduct, said police.
Earlier, AAP candidate Prakash Naik, in a complaint to the RO, had claimed that the unauthorised person to whom the voter slips were handed over has close connection with one of the candidates. However, according to police, it is yet to be ascertained. The incident was reported at a colony in Old Goa between January 26 and 28, police said referring to the complaint.