Explain timing of cash transfer announcement: EC to centre

The Election Commission has conveyed its unhappiness to the Centre over the announcement of its direct cash transfer scheme when the Model Code in poll- bound Gujarat is in force and has asked for a report to be submitted to it by this evening.

The EC also warned of appropriate action if the government’s reply to its letter does not come by then.

In a strongly-worded letter to Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, the EC expressed its unhappiness over the timing of the announcement by the Government and said it could have been avoided in view of the Gujarat Assembly elections later this month.

“We have asked the Cabinet Secretary to give us a factual report on the issue by Monday evening and if we do not get a reply we will proceed with action,” a top official of the Election Commission told PTI.

However the centre hit back, with Finance Minister P Chidambaram saying that the direct cash transfer scheme was part of the government’s manifesto and had been announced five days before the election dates were announced.

The government also said that Direct cash transfer was first introduced to the house by former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 6 March 2012, while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had mentioned it on 28 September.

Therefore they say that to link the scheme announcement with the Gujarat elections is wrong.

Incidentally, four of the 51 districts in which the cash transfer scheme is to be implemented from 1 January 2013, are in Gujarat. Sources said the EC’s fresh letter to the Cabinet Secretary was its second reminder to the centre in this regard.

The Gujarat unit of BJP had on Thursday petitioned the poll body, alleging a serious violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

A day later, top party leaders led by LK Advani had personally met the Chief Election Commissioner to complain against the announcement.

The government had in a major announcement here claimed the scheme as a “game-changer”, with Finance Minister P Chidamabaram and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh personally launching the scheme from the Congress headquarters in the national capital.

After complaining to the EC, Advani had said that such announcements should not be made by a government once election dates have been declared.

“There has been announcement of direct cash transfer… The states where elections are due should have been excluded. They (government) could not have done it under the (election) code of conduct,” Advani had said.

Gujarat goes to polls in two phases on 13 and 17 December, and the Model Code is in force in the state.

PTI