'EC unable to act against Virbhadra Singh, wife'

The Election Commission (EC) may not be able to take action against Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his MP wife Pratibha Singh for providing wrong information while filing nomination papers, as claimed by BJP.

The Election Commission (EC) may not be able to take action against Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh and his MP wife Pratibha Singh for providing wrong information while filing nomination papers, as claimed by BJP.

HT Image

BJP leader Anurag Thakur had filed a complaint with the EC accusing Singh and his wife of concealing information about their cash assets in the nomination papers filed to contest polls.

The couple has denied the allegation and the Congress has also backed them. EC sources say it would be difficult for the commission to probe the issue as its powers to investigate allegations of concealing facts while filing nomination papers has been curtailed by the court.

"We have asked the government to provide clarity in the Representation of People’s Act on powers of the Election Commission to disqualify a candidate for providing wrong information to the commission," a senior EC official said.

The EC wanted that it should have power to disqualify a candidate for giving false information in the affidavit on asset and criminal record filed with the nomination papers.

Thakur had accused Singh of not providing information on seeking loan from a private firm which had a contract to set up a hydro power plant in Himachal Pradesh, with his nomination papers.
The EC received a complaint against Pratibha Singh of spending more than R40 lakh during her election in Lok Sabha polls. The EC found the expenditure report submitted by her was at variance with the report of the expenditure observer appointed by the commission.

The EC has not been able to issue an explanatory notice to Pratibha Singh, as it does not have powers to question an elected representative on perceived wrong information.