By IANS,
New Delhi : The Election Commission conveyed its “displeasure” to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia for attending a meeting of a political party and violating the model code of conduct.
In its April 23 letter, released Wednesday, the poll panel told Ahluwalia that he may be a political appointee and his term may be co-terminus with the term of the government, but his post is an office under the government.
“It has been noted that the office of deputy chairman has been exempted from the purview of disqualification for being chosen as or for being a Member of Parliament in terms of clause (ab) of section 3 of Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959,” the poll panel said in a statement.
“It thus logically follows that but for such provision in the Act, the holding of the said post would act as disqualification for a person for being chosen as or for being a Member of Parliament.
“Therefore, the Commission is of the considered view that by attending a meeting of a political party and addressing the MPs and office-bearers of that party in a closed door meeting on March 3 when the model code of conduct was in force, you, the deputy chairman, have violated the provisions of the said model code of conduct,” it added.
“The Commission, therefore, conveys its displeasure for your above mentioned conduct.”