E-Paper
Lok Sabha elections 2019: Election Commission sends official to Odisha as Opposition steps up attack
EC acted against Mohammad Mohsin, a 1996-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, over what it said were actions contrary to its instructions concerning those protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG), though the Congress contested the argument and said there was no such guideline.
A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) suspended an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter in Odisha’s Sambalpur district, the poll watchdog sought a report and opposition parties launched a fresh attack over the incident.
EC acted against Mohammad Mohsin, a 1996-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, over what it said were actions contrary to its instructions concerning those protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG), though the Congress contested the argument and said there was no such guideline.
“The rule cited governs the use of official vehicles for campaigning. It does not exempt PM’s vehicle from being searched. What is Modi carrying in the helicopter that he doesn’t want India to see?” the Congress party posted on its official Twitter feed.
Senior deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha told reporters that an official has been sent to Odisha to seek a report from the state election commission. “The incident came to the notice of the EC. It was reported by the field officer and the chief electoral officer, and the matter was enquired into,” he said.
Modi was in Sambalpur to address an election rally on April 16 and was learnt to have been held up for nearly 15 minutes because of Mohsin’s “actions”, according to news agency PTI.
The commission said it issued an order in 2014 that said those guarded by SPG were excluded from checking during polls; the order was not available on the commission’s website. “As cited in the order...instruction dated 10.4.14 states that SPG protectees are excluded from checking,” an election commission spokesperson said. A March 2019 order that was supposed to be in continuation of the 2014 order circulated by the commission did not make any mention of the specific rule for SPG protectees.
A former chief election commissioner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was not familiar with the rule cited by the poll watchdog.
The 2014 rule cited by EC is related to an absolute ban on the use of official vehicles for campaigning, electioneering or election-related travel by SPG protectees.
“The only exception from the above said prohibition will be Prime Minister and other political personalities, who might, in view of extremist and terrorist activities and threat to their lives, require security of a high order and whose security requirements are governed by any statutory provisions made by the Parliament or the State Legislature in this behalf,” it said.
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not comment on the issue, Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised Modi. “Suspension of the officer who checked PM’s helicopter. The chowkidar [watchman] lives in his own protected shell! Is the Chowkidar trying to hide something,” it tweeted, highlighting the term the PM uses to describe himself.
