Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) The poll panel Thursday censured Congress leader Salman Khurshid for his nine percent job quota announcement for minorities in Uttar Pradesh, and said that as law minister he has the responsibility of ensuring the model code of conduct is observed in “letter and spirit”.

“As a union minister for Law and Minorities Affairs, he has an added responsibility of ensuring that the model code of conduct is observed in letter and spirit so that elections are conducted in a free and fair manner and all political parties enjoy a level playing field in the matter of their election,” the commission in its order said.

“.. the commission has come to the inescapable conclusion that the respondent Salman Khurshid, made a new promise to a distinct targeted group of the electorate among the minorities that nine percent seats would be reserved for them from out of the overall quota of 27 percent for the other backward classes,” it said.

“The commission is also satisfied that the above promise was made by Salman Khurshid as a union minister for Law and Minorities Affairs. Thus, Salman Khurshid has violated the model code of conduct by making the abovesaid promise,” it added.

“The Commission, therefore, cannot help expressing its deep anguish and disappointment over his violation of model code of conduct,” the order said.

“.. the commission hereby censures Salman Khurshid and hopes and expects that such violations of model code of conduct would not be repeated by him in future,” the poll panel said. The BJP had filed a complaint against Khurshid to the poll panel.

Khurshid, while addressing an election rally in the Farrukhabad constituency from where his wife Louis is seeking election to the state assembly, had said that if the Congress comes to power in Uttar Pradesh it would provide nine percent job quota to minorities.