E-Paper
‘Model Code not violated but…’: ECI halts result announcements for recruitment drives in poll-bound Haryana
The results can be declared only after the October 1 assembly polls, the Election Commission said. It had received a complaint from Congress MP Jairam Ramesh.
The Election Commission on Wednesday temporarily suspended the declaration of results of various ongoing recruitment drives in Haryana, where assembly elections will be conducted on October 1.
The results of these recruitment processes cannot be announced before the completion of the polls, the election body said, adding that it had received a complaint from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh regarding a possible violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The Election Commission, however, asserted that there was no violation of the Model Code as the recruitment process had been initiated much before the poll schedule was released (on August 16).
“Cognisance was taken of the complaint received from Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, regarding violation of the Model Code in the process of recruitment against 5600 vacancies for the post of Constable in the Haryana Police, 76 posts of TGT and PTI by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and the recruitment for various posts by Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC),” the poll body stated in its response to the senior member of the grand old party.
“Subsequently, a detailed response was sought from the state government and after ascertaining the facts, the Commission found no violation of the MCC. The recruitment process was initiated before the announcement of elections and is within the existing MCC instructions. However, in order to maintain level playing field and to ensure that no undue advantage is accrued to anyone, results of these recruitments shall not be released till the completion of assembly elections,” the statement added.
During the Lok Sabha elections earlier in the year, opposition parties had repeatedly claimed there was no level playing field for them.
Haryana will see a straight fight between the BJP, in power here since October 2014, and the Congress. The counting will be held on October 4.
