Election Commission orders to halt fresh sanctions for governmental schemes

New Delhi [India], March 20 (ANI): Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country, the Election Commission of India issued an order to halt fresh sanctions for governmental schemes in Himachal Pradesh.

The order further stated, “No fresh release of funds on welfare schemes and works should be made or contracts of works awarded in any part of State where the election is in progress without prior permission of the Commission.”

“This includes the work under the Member of Parliament, Local Area Development Fund, or MLA/MLCs, if any such scheme is in operation in the State,” the order mentioned.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party filed two complaints against Congress with the State Election Commission for violating the Model Code of Conduct and alleged that forms under Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojana to get Rs 1,500 per month are being filled in the offices of the block development office and panchayats to woo the voters by the Congress.

The former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur led a BJP delegation and filed two complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer in Shimla.

Jai Ram Thakur has accused the state government and the Chief Minister of providing the benefits of Rs 1500 honorarium to women.

He said that the various government agencies are using and filling out the forms for the schemes, which bear pictures of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Jai Ram Thakur said that we have also registered another complaint that the hoardings and pictures of the government advertisement are still placed in several places in the state; on the contrary, the posters of the Ram Temple and portraits of Lord Ram are being removed.

He further said that the party has requested the Election Commission to stop this filling of forms as it is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.