The State Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar and two officers of the Directorate of Information and Publicity seeking their reply on an advertisement about 20% reduction in circle rates in the city on the eve of the civic bypolls.
In the notice issued to Mr. Khirwar, DIP secretary Padmini Singla and director Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, the panel said that prima facie the advertisement violates the model code of conduct.
On Saturday, an advertisement on the Delhi government’s recent decision to reduce circle rates by 20% appeared in several newspapers.
“It has come to the notice of the Commission that an advertisement is published in various national newspapers just before the day of polls at the cost of the public exchequer for publicity regarding achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power,” the notice stated.
It also said, “The Commission is, prima facie, of the view that by the said advertisement, the provision of the Model Code of Conduct has been violated.”
