Election Commission of India 1

MAIL TODAY DATE: 11 0 FEL 201lNAME OF THE NEWSPAPER

~y Amish Sinha in New Delhi

CHIEF election comm-issioner S.Y. Quraishicracked the whip on lawminister Salman Khurshidon Thursday.A full bench of the Election

Commission, headed by him,severely indicted Khurshidand censured him for violat-ing the model code ofconductenforced in uttar Pradesh.Khurshid was warned not torepeat the offence.Addressing a seminar before

the damning order came,Quraishi blamed the poltttcalclass for stalling electoralreforms, a note on which hasbeen pending with the govern-ment since 2004.

"Politicians differ on every-thing. But if there is one issue onwhich they agree, it is not imple-menting the badly needed elec-toral reforms," the CEC said.

Whilecampaigning for his wifeLouise Khurshid in Far-

_rukhabad on January 10,Khur-shid had announced that hisparty would provide nine percent reservation to minorrties

Khurshld wamed notto repeat offence

within the existing 27 per centquota for OBCs. He had alsoindicated that Muslims, havinga sizeable population (in UP),would benefit from the move.

The EC ruled that thetwo defences advanced by Con-gress spokesman AbhishekSinghvion Khurshid's behalf didnot hold ground.The first plea was that the

announcement was a mere "reit-eration" of earlier Congressmanifestoes, which had talkedabout the nine per cent quotawithin quota. The poll panel,after examining several partymanifestoes, said it had foundno such mention in any of them.Therefore, it said, the question

of "reiteration" does not arise."Whensomething has not been

said at all in the past, and isbeing said for the first time, theCommissionwonders how it canbe said that it is being 'reiter-ated'," the order said.The poll panel also ripped

apart Khurshid's second pleathat he was in Farrukhabad as a"Congressman" and not as theUnion law and minorities affairsminister. It cited officialrecordsto show that Khurshid's privatesecretary, an IAS officer, hadsent an official note to the dis-trict magistrate and the policesuperintendent on January 7,asking them to make necessaryarrangements - reception,escort party and security - sothat no inconvenience wascaused to the "minister" during

Congress leader Salman Khurshld (right) was hauled up by the Election Commissionheaded by CECSY. Qurashl for violating the model code of conduct enforced In UP.

CECthrowsdown thegauntlet atp'oliticians

his visit to Farrukhabad, Fateh-pur Sikri and Kayamganj.

The EC said it had come to the"conclusion" that Khurshidmade a new promise to a "dis-tinct targeted group" among theminorities that 9 per cent seatswould be reserved for them.

"Thus, Shri Salman Khurshidhas violated the model code ofconduct by making the abovesaid promise. The COmmission,therefore, cannot help express-ing its deep anguish and disap-

pointment over his violation ofmodel code of conduct," it said,adding that as a Union ministerhe has the "added responsibil-ity" of ensuring that the modelcode is observed.The CEC's reference at the

seminar was directed at MPscutting across political partiesas Parliament has to take a callon amending-the Representa-tion ofthe People's Act 1951,theprincipal law that sets theground rules for country's elec-

toral politics.Quraishi said there was noth-

ing wrong in debarring candi-dates facing charges of commit-ting heinous crimes such asmurder, rape and dacoity.

"Our proposal comes with tworiders - first, the criminal caseshould -not have been filed lessthan sixmonths before electionsare announced and second, acourt oflaw should have framedcharges against the accused,"Quraishi said.

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Khurshid remarkdraws EC censureAGE CORRESPONDENTNEW DELHI, FEB. 9

The Election Commission(EC)on Thursday censuredUnion law and justice min-ister Salman Khurshid forhaving violated the modelcode of conduct byannouncing a nine per centquota for minorities whilecampaigning inFarrukhabad for his wifeLouise Khurshid. The ECfurther asked him not toviolate the model code infuture. This is the firstinstance of a Union lawminister being censured bythe poll panel.

The poll panel, compris-ing CEC S.Y_Quraishi andelection commissionersV.S. Sampath and H.S.Brahma, in its 15-pageorder has said, "The com-mission hereby censures.Shri Salman Khurshid andhopes and expects that suchviolations ofthe model codeof conduct would not berepeated by him in future."

Salman Khurshid

The commission has fur-ther said, "As a Union min-ister for law and minorityaffairs, he has an addedresponsibility of ensuringthat the model code of con-duct is observed in letterand spirit so that electionsare conducted in a free andfair manner and all politi-cal parties enjoy a level-playing field in the matterof their election cam-paigns."

Dismissing the con-. tention of the Congress that

the announcement was not

DATE:LJ .. Q.FEB 201 Z~

made by Mr Khurshid inhis capacity as a ministerbut as a Congressman, theEC has said, "The abovecontention is also not ten-able for the reason that inthe perception of commonman, which is of para-mount consideration, therespondent addressed themat public meetings as Unionminister for law and minor-ity affairs and not as mereleader of the Congressparty."

The Congress downplayedthe censure. "Khurshid hassaid something. The EChascommented on it. The mat-ter is closed," party generalsecretary JanardanDwivedi said.

But the BJP demanded hisresignation and asked thePM to clarify his stand onthe issue of sub-quota forminorities. "This verdict issufficient to demand resig-nation of Khurshid fromthe government," BJPleader Mukhtar AbbasNaqvi said.

Election Commission of India 1THE STATESMAN DATE: II 0 FES 20lL

T .

EC censures Khurshid for his' minorities sub-quota promiseNAME OF THE NEWSPAPER

statesman news service

NEW DELH~ 9 FEB: The Election Com-mission (EC) tonight censured the Union

minister for law andminorities affairs, MrSalman Khurshid, forviolating the modelcode of conduct forelections by making apromise for an en-hanced sub-quota for

backward minorities in Uttar Pradesh.Mr Khurshid is a senior Congress lead-

er from UP where the high-stakes, seven-phase assembly elections got underwayyesterday.

While campaigning for his wife Louise,a Congress candidate from UP's Parrukha-bad assembly constituency, early lastmonth, Mr Khurshid had declared that theCongress would increase. the sub-quotafor backward Muslims to 9 % from withinthe 27 % Other BackMrd Classes (OBC)reservation in government jobs and edu-

cational institutions.The EC's order came on a BJP's com-

plaint against Mr Khurshid's announce-ment in which the BJP had charged that"this direct appeal on religious, caste andcommunal basis was a direct and blatantviolation of the model code of conduct".

In its I5-page order today, the EC -comprising the Chief Election Commis-sioner Mr S Y Quraishi and Election Com-missioners, Mr V S Sampath and Mr H SBrahma - ruled that Mr Khurshid hadviolated the model code of conduct bymaking the above promise.

"The Commission hereby censures MrSalman Khurshid and hopes and expectsthat such violations of the model code ofconduct would not be repeated by him infuture," their order said.

The EC's order further stated : "TheCommission, therefore, cannot help ex-pressing its deep anguish and disappoint-ment ....Asa Union Minister forjaw and mi-norities affairs, he has an a ebility of ensuring that the model code of

conduct is observed in letter and spirit sothat elections are conducted in a free andfair manner and all political parties enjoy alevel playing field ..." .

The Commission held that Mr Khurshidgave -hts enhanced sub-quota pledge forbackward minorities as a Union minister.Setting aside the Congress plea to thecontrary, the EC said such a contentionwas also "not tenable for the reason thatin the perception of common man, which~ of paramount consideration, the re-spondent addressed them at public meet-ings as Union minister ...and not as mereleader of the Congress party." The EC'sorder said it "has come to the inescapableconclusion that Mr Salman Khurshidmade a new promise to a distiIict targetedgroup of the electorate among the minor-ities that 9 per, cent seats would be re-served for them from out of the overallquota of 27 per c&nt for the other back-ward classes."

hidhad violated the election code wiiJi:i '

promise as UPhas a sizeable population ofminorities, especially Muslims, who werebeing wooed by the Congress in the run-up to the UP assemb.1ypoUs.

After receiving the BJP's complaint, theEC had issued a show-cause notice to MrKhurshid on 10January. After receiving MrKhurshid's reply, in which he denied hav-ing violated any model poU code, theCommission repeatedly heard his counsel ,Mr Abhishek inghvi besides hearing theBJP counsel Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad be-fore deciding the case.

In its manifesto for UP polIS, the Con-gress has referred to the recent decision ofthe party-led UPAgovernment to providefor 4.5% sub-quota for backward minori-ties from within the 27% OBC reservationin Central government jobs and educa-tional institutions. _

As regards the state, the Congress re-frained from giving any figure, simply stat-ing that it would "aim" to ptovde such asub-quota for backward minorities "com-mensurate with their population."

Election Commission of India" .

THEHINi>u DATE:L l_..Q FEB 2012l(

(Election Commission censures Khursheed

NAME OF TIm NEWS PAPER

J. Balaji

NEW DELHI: In a landmark deci-sion, the Election Commis-sion on Thursday censuredUnion Law and Justice Min-ister Salman Khursheed, whois also in charge of MinorityAffairs, for violating the mod-el of code of conduct duringan election rally in Uttar Pra-desh on January 8. It warnedhim not to repeat such vio-lation.

He had promised a sub-quota of nine per cent for mi-norities in Uttar Pradesh outof 27 per cent reservation injobs and educational institu-tions for the Other BackwardClasses.

"In the above circumstanc-es, the Commission herebycensures Shri Salman Khur-

sheed and hopes and expectsthat such violations of modelcode would not be repeatedby him in future," said ChiefElection Commissioner S.Y.Quraishi and Election Com-missioners V.S. Sampath andB.S. Brahma in their joint or-der dated February 9.

This is the first time in thehistory of the Commission,that a Union Law Minister,who has certain administra-tive control over the EC, isbeing censured by it and thattoo after giving him a chancefor personal hearing. Con-gress spokesman and senioradvocate Abhishek ManuSinghvi appeared before theEC on behalf of Mr.Khursheed.

The Minister had made thepromise while speaking at an

Union Law MinisterSalman Khursheedelection rally in Farrukhabadconstituency (Uttar Pradesh)where his wife Louise Khur-sheed is seeking election.

The EC said it had come tothe inescapable conclusionthat Mr. Khursheed made a

. ".

new promise to a distinct tar-geted group of the electorateamong the minorities (onsub-quota). The EC was alsosatisfied that the promise wasmade by him as a Union Min-ister for Law and MinoritiesAffairs. "The Commission,therefore, cannot help ex-pressing its deep anguish anddisappointment over his vio-lation of the model code ofconduct. As a Union Ministerfor Law and Minorities Af-fairs, he has an added respon-sibility of ensuring that themodel code is observed in let-ter and in spirit so that elec-tions are conducted in a freeand fair manner and all politi-cal parties enjoy a level-play-ing field in the matter of theirelection campaigns," it said.

The BJP is the complainant

in the case and on behalf ofthe party its spokesman andsenior advocate Ravi ShankarPrasad appeared before theEC on February 3.

The Minister, who himselfis a lawyer, had earlier main-tained that his speech wasjust a pro-active one and rep-etition of what the Congressintended to do to the minor-ities in the election manifestoto be released.

Moreover, the promise hemade (on sub-quota) was al-ready there in the Congress'manifestos for the 2009 LokSabha elections and 2002 and2007 U.P. Assembly polls andthere was nothing new. Hehad only made a declarationof intent and not a policy an-nouncement, Mr. Khursheedhad claimed.

Election Commission of India STHE TRIBUNE DATE:l 0 FEB ZOlZNAME OF THE NEWSPAPER

//EC censures Khurshid for violating poll code"ma, in its IS-page order, held ...•that Khurshid had violatedthe model code of conductand hoped he would not ..••repeat such violations.

"The Commission herebycensures Salman Khurshidand expects that such viola-tionsof themodel code ofcon- ..J

duct would not be repeated by -.Jhim in the future," said the ECorder. - PTI ..J

MINORITIES SUB-QUOTA REMARKNEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 9The Election Commissiontoday censured Union Min-ister for Law and MinorityAffairs Salman Khurshid forhis remarks on sub-quota forminorities finding them to bea violation of the model codeof conduct.

Khurshid, while campaign-ing for his wife Louise, aCongress candidate from

BJP's complaint about Khur-shid's remarks, asking theCommission to take actionagainst him for violation ofthe model code of conduct.

The Election Commission -comprising Chief ElectionCommissioner SY Quraishiand Election CommissionersVS Sampath and HS Brah-

FarrukhabadAssembly con-stituency in Uttar Pradesh,had promised the electoratelast month that the partywould increase the sub-quota for minorities to nineper cent, out of the 27 percent Other Backward Class-es (OBC) reservation.

The EC order came on

Election Commission of India

Poll panel rap ,for Khurshid

THE TIMES OF INDIA DA~,: 0 FEB Z01Zb

NAME OFTHE NEWS PAPER

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: EC on Thursday censured Salman Khur-shid for violating the model code ofconduct by announcing that Con-gress would carve out 9% of the OBCquota exclusively for minorities.

The union minister who wascampaigning for his wife Louise,Congress nominee for Far-rukhabad, had indicated in his Jan-uary 10speech that Muslims would

benefit from the proposed move because of their size-able population. The poll watchdog, which asked foran explanation from the law minister following a BJPcomplaint, rejected Khurshid's defence that the an-nouncement was not aimed at a particular commu-nity, and that he had reiterated the commitment inCongress's manifesto for the 2009polls. He argued thathe made the announcement as a Congress member.

Expressing "disappointment" over the violation ofthe model code, EC said, "Khurshid made a new prom-ise to a distinct targeted group of the electorate amongthe minorities that 9% of seats would be reserved fromthem from the overall quota of 27% for the other back-ward classes. EC is satisfied that the promise was madeby Khurshid as minister for law and minority affairs."

CEC S Y Quraishi, with the two ECs V S Sampathand H S Brahma, reminded Khurshid that his job asthe law minister made it all the more important forhim to stay on the right side of the list of don'ts thatEC has laid down. After the EC's verdict, the BJP de-manded that Khurshid resign. £'

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Election Commission of IndiaN~ OF TIIE NEWS PAPER THE TIMES OF INDIA . .DA~. 0 FEB 2012

~"" "..Clean voterrolls helped

Rakhl Chakrabarty ITNN UTNew Delhi: The recordturnout sofar in the currentround of Assemblyelectionsare being seen as testimonyto the election commission'ssustained campaigns to in-still voter awareness andsuccessful updating of elec-toral rolls.

The cleaning up of rollsthat often contained inac-curate data, feel politicalleaders as well as EC offi-cials, has helped boost vot-ing percentages. This hasparticularly impacted flrst-time voters who seem tohave turned up at pollingbooths in good numbers.

The voter turnout for2012Assembly elections inPunjab, Uttarakhand and inthe first phase of UP pollsincreased compared to 2007.In Punjab, 75.36% of theelectorate voted in the 2007assemblypollsThis election,

~

turnout was 78.57%, a.21 percentage point in-

crease over 2007.

AssemblyElections Figuresin %

Similarly, in Uttarak-hand 63.96%voted in 2007assembly polls and 53.96%in the 2009Lok Sabha polls.In the just-concluded as-sembly polls, Uttarakhandrecorded a 67.22%turnout,a 3.26percentage point upthan 2007.The largest jumpin turnout was seen in thefirst phase of UPpolls:from46.6%in the 2007assemblyelections to 63% this time.

Since 2009Jharkhand as-sembly elections, voterturnout has increased in 11elections in a row,said an ECofficial. Speaking to TO!,Chief Election Commis-sioner SYQuraishi said, "Wehavebeen working for abouttwoyears to increase voters'enrolment and participation.In 2009,weset up a voters' ed-ucation wing in EC."