By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Tuesday vehemently denied it had any plans to curb the powers of the Election Commission onthe model poll code, saying the group of ministers on corruption was only considering issues relating to state funding of elections.
In an official statement issued here, the government also said that media reports on such a plan was “totally misconceived”, as there is “no such move” under the contemplation of the government or the group of ministers.
“The group of ministers has not made any recommendation to make the model mode of conduct statutory or to take it outside the purview of the Election Commission,” the statement said.
It also clarified that the group of ministers on corruption, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had ‘state funding of elections’ as one of its terms of reference and the subject was receiving the panel’s attention from time to time.
The ministry of law and justice (legislative department) has been updating the group of ministers on the several initiatives taken by it and by the Election Commission on the issue of state funding of elections, along with other electoral reforms, it said.
The group of ministers, at its last meeting on Sept 30, 2011, considered a presentation made by the secretary of the legislative department on the viability of various alternatives on the question of state funding of elections.
“In the course of discussions, incidental references were made to the issue of code of conduct,” it added.