New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) The Election Commission said Wednesday it has issued notice to Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi for violating the moral code of conduct in Kerala’s Kannur district after an assembly bypoll was announced.
“The commission has issued a notice for violation of (moral code of conduct) to Vayalar Ravi for making announcement of financial grant of Rs.500,000 for betterment of sports facilities at Nirmalagiri College, Kuthuparamba, during his visit to Kannur Oct 16 and also for making a promise of recruiting hundreds of youths to the Union of European Nations at the press meet at Kannur on Oct 16.”

The commission has asked Vayalar Ravi to reply in 48 hours.

The Kannur district collector submitted Oct 20 a report to the chief electoral officer on alleged violation of the conduct code by Ravi during campaigning in Kannur constituency for the Nov 7 assembly by-poll.

The Congress has fielded A.P. Abdulla Kutty, who till early this year was a two-time Lok Sabha MP of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). The Marxists have fielded a heavyweight in M.V. Jayarajan, who won from the nearby Edakadu constituency in 1996 and 2001.