Kolkata: India Election Election Commission (ECI) has been looking for reports from the West Bengal Government after BJP filed a written complaint that was alleged that the 50,000 Dole RS announced for each of the 36,000 Puja Committees in the country was a serious violation of the code of ethics in place Bypolls to three assembly constituencies in the state.
The State House Department has been asked to submit detailed reports in this issue.
Although the state government, which has sent a reply to the poll panel, high-ranking officials, senior officials argue that the state government has not violated the behavior model (MCC) model.
High sources in the House Department said that the announcement was made by the principal secretary, and not the head of the Minister of Mamata Banerjee who was fighting over the Bypolls of the Constituency of the Bhowanipur Assembly in Kolkata.
“According to the rules set by the Commission, if the election, if a constituency area is in the metropolitan city, the model behavior model (MCC) will apply in the constituency, and if the constituency is in a district, the MCC will apply in all districts.
After this rule, the PKS will apply only in the constituency of Bhowanipur in Kolkata and throughout Murshidabad Regency as Samaserganj and Jangipur is under the district, “a senior said the Department of House officials.
“During the Banerjee meeting with the Puja Committee on Tuesday, there was no organizer from Bhowanipur or Murshidabad was invited.
So, the question to give money to them did not appear,” the official said.
However, state government officials said that the Commission wanted a detailed report on the basis of complaints submitted by BJP, but did not mention every type of financial ex-gratia in the letter.
The controversy broke out after Head Secretary H K Diwedi on Tuesday made an announcement that the state government would provide ex-gratia each Rs 50,000 for all Puja committees from the country.
This is not new as last year Banerjee decided to give money to the Puja organizers because of lack of sponsors due to Covid-19 pandemic.
This year the announcement was made by the main secretary after the Minister of Chief held a meeting with the Puja Committee member.
Immediately after the announcement, BJP in a letter to the Election Commission said that as many as 2,500 Puja Committees in Kolkata alone will receive Dole, which explains that the goal is to calm the Puja Committee in the city when they play a big role in the poll.