The Election Commission has fixed February 3 as the next date of hearing on the complaint against Law and Justice Minister Salman Khursheed for “violating the model code” in announcing a sub-quota for minorities during a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP, on whose complaint a show-cause notice was issued to the Minister, has been asked to send its representative to depose before the Commission here that day.
The Commission — Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi and Commissioners V.S. Sampath and H.S. Brahma — decided to call the BJP when Mr. Khursheed's lawyer Abishek Manu Singhvi made a request at the previous hearing on January 20.
The case relates to the January 8 speech made by Mr. Khursheed, at the rally in Farukkhabad, from where his wife Louise is contesting. He promised a nine per cent sub-quota for minorities in the State out of 27 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the Other Backward Classes. Following this, he was given the show-cause notice on January 10 and he sent a written reply on January 12. Later he sought the EC's nod for a “personal hearing,” which was allowed.
ADVERTISEMENT