EC slaps notice over poll code violation

CHENNAI: The Election Commission of India has issued notices to all major political parties — DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, CPI and the CPM — to show cause in five days as to why recognition given to them by it should not be withdrawn.If no reply is received from the parties within five days from the date of receipt of the notices, the EC would decide the matter without any further reference to the parties, it warned in its letter dated June 9.This followed the filing of a public interest writ petition by social worker ‘Traffic’ KR Ramaswamy and the recent orders passed by the Madras High Court.Ramaswamy had filed a writ petition praying for a direction to the EC and the State Chief Electoral Officer to initiate action against violators of the Code of Conduct under Sec 16-A of the Election Law and Practice (Election Symbol) Act. He alleged the parties violated the Code of Conduct. He made representations dated April 16 and 21 to the EC in this regard.The First Bench comprising Chief Justice MY Eqbal and Justice TS Sivagnanam on April 28 directed the EC to consider his representations and dispose of it in accordance with law within six weeks. So the EC issued the show cause notices to the parties. Sec 16-A empowers the EC to suspend or withdraw the recognition granted to the political parties, if they violated the model code of conduct for guidance of political parties and candidates.