LUCKNOW: Almost a week after Samajwadi Party kick-started a campaign across Uttar Pradesh to register consumers for 300 units of free electricity, the Election Commission of India has sought a report on the matter from district election officers.
A senior ECI official said, “Under a routine process following a written complaint on the matter, the Election Commission of India has sought a report from all 75 DEOs.” On January 20, lawyer Yogesh Somvanshi from Allahabad high court had written to ECI and lodged a complaint against the Samajwadi Party.
“No political party should be allowed to gratify voters and attempt to illegally influence them to vote in their favour. SP’s campaign to register consumers for 300 units of free electricity every month is a corrupt practice as defined in section 123 of Representation of the People Act, 1951.” On January 18, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had announced to provide free electricity if his party came to power.
The next day, party workers and social media cell had begun sharing scores of pictures and videos of people registering for the free electricity scheme.