Mumbai/Pune, Jan 6 (IANS) Maharashtra’s State Election Commission (SEC) Friday issued notices to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Pune Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal, both from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), for violating the model code of conduct ahead of the civic polls.

“The SEC has slapped notices on Pawar and Rajpal after complaints of violation of model code of conduct Tuesday. Pawar had performed the ground-breaking ceremony of a flyover on the Mumbai-Pune National Highway-4,” said an SEC official, insisting on anonymity.

State Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan had earlier asked Pune Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh to investigate the complaints of violation of model code of conduct. According to officials, no prior clearance was taken from the SEC regarding the ceremony.

The Shiv Sena had lodged a complaint with the SEC and argued that Pawar had attended the function well after the poll code came into effect Tuesday at 3.30 p.m.

A couple of hours later the ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Pawar and Rajpal.

Interestingly, Vinod Tawde of the BJP, leader of opposition in the legislative council, said the SEC should have enforced the poll code from midnight. He said it becomes very difficult for political parties and elected representatives to cancel their scheduled programmes if the poll code is suddenly enforced.