The Election Commission (EC) has pulled up the Speaker of Orissa Assembly Sarat Kumar Kar, Congress candidate from Bhubaneswar Assembly seat, for 'blatant violation of the electoral code of conduct'.
"Kar continued to use his official vehicle even after the elections were announced on February 29 last. Despite the EC directing him to reimburse the cost of the journeys made," Office of the Chief Electoral Officer here said.
The EC had expressed 'strong displeasure on the conduct of Kar', who it said had used the vehicle to travel to Puri, Cuttack, Konarka, Lalitgiri and some other places, he said adding, Kar also used a red beacon atop a private vehicle during the election campaign.
The guidelines laid down by the EC said that central and state ministers were entitled to use official vehicles to go from their residence to the office provided such commuting was not combined with any electioneering or political activities.
This is also applicable to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly at the time of general elections irrespective of their contesting the polls or not, the EC pointed out.
{{/usCountry}}This is also applicable to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly at the time of general elections irrespective of their contesting the polls or not, the EC pointed out.
{{/usCountry}}Kar, who was denied the party ticket by the BJD, is contesting from Bhubaneswar Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket.