Khurshid replies to EC notice, pleads not guilty

Law minister Salman Khurshid today submitted his reply to the Election Commission on the notice served on him for alleged violation of model code of conduct on his promise over minorities sub-quota and is understood to have said that he did not violate the code.

Law minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday submitted his reply to the Election Commission on the notice served on him for alleged violation of model code of conduct on his promise over minorities sub-quota and is understood to have said that he did not violate the code.

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The minister is learnt to have cited in his defence the 2009 Congress poll manifesto in which the party had promised to provide for a sub-quota for minorities.

Khurshid's reply to the EC notice will be taken up tomorrow at a full meeting of the Election Commission to be chaired by Chief Election commissioner SY Quraishi and attended by the two Election commissioners VS Sampath and HS Brahma, besides other officials.

Holding prima facie his promise of 9% sub-quota for backward Muslims within existing 27% OBC quota as a "serious violation" of the model code of conduct, the Election Commission had on January 10 slapped a show-cause notice on Khurshid asking why action should not be taken against him.

Sources said Khurshid in his reply has cited the party's 2009 manifesto, where the Congress had said it has pioneered reservation for minorities in Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in government employment and education on the basis of their social and economic backwardness.