The Election Commission on Saturday sought an explanation from Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh over his proposal for quotas to OBCs in Central educational institutions, IIMs and IITs when the poll process was on in five states.
Taking suo motu action, the Commission said the announcement made by Singh, as reported in the electronic and print media, "amounts to new concessions to certain sections of electorate" in the poll-bound states of Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Pondicherry, and is prima facie violation of the model code of conduct, EC sources said.
In a letter to the Cabinet Secretary, the Commission pointed out that it had informed the Government that model code of conduct would be applicable to the Centre also as far as the five poll bound states were concerned.
It desired that an explanation be obtained from Singh by 5 pm on Monday and forwarded to the Commission for further necessary action, the sources added.