‘Show the evidence’: EC notice to Congress over ‘corruption rate card’ ads against BJP’s Karnataka govt

According to the notice, the Congress violated the Model Code of Conduct, the Representation of the People Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

The Election Commission set a Sunday evening deadline for the Congress to submit its evidence against the BJP in Karnataka | PTI

New Delhi: A day after the Congress party issued a “corruption rate card” of the Karnataka government in local and national newspapers, the Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to the party to provide the evidence for the claims made in the advertisement.

On Friday, the Congress had published an advertisement in The Times of India, The Hindu, the Indian Express and Samyukta Karnataka, where it alleged the BJP had corruption rates of appointment and transfers in various state organisations, job rates for top posts including BDA commissioner, KPSC chairman and percentage of commission in government deals like that of road contracts, egg supplies among others.

Kannadigas!

Here is the corruption rate card of the 'TROUBLE ENGINE' 40% Sarkara. pic.twitter.com/6hKayIIeuC

— Congress (@INCIndia) May 5, 2023

The advertisement further added, “40 per cent sarkara has looted over Rs 1,50,000 crore from the people of Karnataka in the last 4 years. At this rate, there will be no

state left.”

On Saturday, the EC issued a notice asserting that the charges need to be backed by the Congress party.

“While the general references and allusions to the alleged lack of achievement misdeeds not ensuring corruption free governance of political opponents do float in the political campaigns, specific accusations and charges need to be segregated as the same must be backed by verifiable facts,” the EC said in its order, a copy of which is with ThePrint.

“Making specific charges, without any factual basis, is an action proscribed by the penal statutes,” the poll panel added.

After the advertisements were published, BJP leader Om Pathak had registered a complaint with the EC Friday that the Congress party was levelling “wildest, mischievous, fallacious and misleading allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party”.

Karnataka will vote on 10 May and counting will take place on 13 May.

The allegations and imputations made in the advertisement are “not general”, according to the Commission.

“The advertisement in its very content & format, makes very specific charges, accusing all levels of government machinery (political & bureaucratic) of being, compromised and saleable,” it said, adding that the allegations bring into disrepute the entire administration.

The EC directed the Congress party to give out the evidence by 7 PM Sunday.

“You are, therefore, directed to convey the empirical evidence of the same, for example, the evidences for rates for kinds of appointments & transfers, kinds of jobs and kinds of commission mentioned in the advertisement given by you along with if any explanation,” its notice said.

According to the EC notice, the Congress party has violated ‘general conduct’ of the Model Code of Conduct for the guidance of political parties and candidates, the Representation of People Act and the Indian Penal Code.

(Edited by Tony Rai)