CHANDIGARH: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has requested the Punjab governor to issue appropriate advisory and take necessary action against Punjab State Information Commissioner Anumit Singh Sodhi for violation of the model code of conduct by taking part in political activities.
Punjab chief electoral officer Karuna Raju said two complaints were received against Sodhi, alleging he was running an election campaign in favour of his father Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, in violation of the powers conferred upon him as the state information commissioner,
The letterreads: “The video/pictures sent by the complainant do not leave any doubt that Anumit Singh Sodhi is taking part in the election campaign and undertaking political activity... On the basis of the reports... and provisions of the model code of conduct, the commission has found that Anumit Singh Sodhi has violated the general provisions of RTI Act and the provisions of the model code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of India.”
The EC has also written a letter to the secretary state information commissioner, saying, “The Election Commission has desired that it may be brought to the notice of all information commissioners to restrain them from any campaigning in official vehicle, keeping in view Section 12 (6) of Right to Information Act, 2005 and Commission’s extant instructions on tours of members of various commissions during the period of elections.”
