"Ashok Gehlot Violated Model Code," Rajasthan BJP Complains To Poll Body

The BJP on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India claiming that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's announcement of "seven guarantees" ahead of the November 25 assembly elections violated the poll code.

Last Friday, Ashok Gehlot announced five guarantees for Rajasthan, including a law on the Old Pension Scheme, buying cow dung and providing a laptop or a tablet to government college students, if his is reelected. Two "guarantees" were announced in Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's public meeting earlier.

A BJP delegation met with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Praveen Gupta on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum, saying that once the Model Code of Conduct comes into effect, announcements of any kind of schemes by which a political party can attempt to influence voters are a violation.

The Model Code of Conduct came into force in Rajasthan on October 9 after the Election Commission announced the date for the assembly elections.

In a statement, the BJP alleged that Ashok Gehlot's announcement was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and also falls under the category of "corrupt practices' under Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The BJP's intellectual cell convenor Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently wrote a message on social media about the seven guarantees of the Congress and asked people to register themselves to avail of the benefits of such schemes.

He alleged that luring the general public to register for such schemes is a criminal act and a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

This is against the rules and should be stopped immediately, Mr Shekhawat said, adding that action should be taken against the Congress and its Chief Minister.

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