EC reminder to govt on CBI probe into alleged Ktk RS poll

graft New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) The Election Commission has sent areminder to the government to get the allegations of use ofmoney power in the recent Karnataka Rajya Sabha polls probedby the CBI even as it has unveiled measures to check foul playin elections to the Upper House and Legislative Councils. On June 9, while the Commission had refused to cancelRajya Sabha polls to four Karnataka seats following TV stingoperations which alleged use of money power to influence MLAs(voters), it had asked the Ministry of Personnel to order a"deeper and wider" probe by CBI into the allegations. Now, the Commission has reminded the government of itsrecommendation for a CBI probe as three months have lapsedsince the first request was made, official sources said. After encountering allegations of use of money power inRajya Sabha polls in Karnataka and Jharkhand and an ‘inkcontroversy’ in Haryana, the poll watchdog has unveiled astring of measures to prevent foul play in Legislative Counciland Rajya Sabha polls. In a detailed order to all Chief Electoral Officers lastweek, the Commission said from the day the notification forelections is issued, a 24X7 control room be set up to handleall complaints "including but not restricted to" undueinfluence by offering cash or kind to a voter with a view togetting his vote, any type of threats, coercion to voters,misuse of state machinery and partisan or unbecoming attitudeof officials connected to elections. It said though there is no ceiling of "lawfulexpenditure" in Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council polls,"ostentatious display of money power and bribing of electorshave to be checked." As part of the measures, EC has directed that a specialsketch pen will be used to mark votes in future Rajya Sabhaand Legislative Council elections. The move comes following the ink controversy in theHaryana Rajya Sabha polls where 12 votes marked using a wrongpen were declared invalid leading to the defeat ofCongress-backed independent candidate R K Anand, a lawyer, wholost to media baron Subhash Chandra. "The Commission has issued directions that an integratedviolet sketch pen of specific design manufactured by aparticular firm shall be used in all future elections. "Such a pen will be the instrument for recordingpreferences on ballot paper by the voter and at time of pollit shall be given to each voter by the designated pollingofficer and shall be taken back from him after the voter comesout of the voting compartment. Any deviation from it will notbe allowed under any circumstance," the poll watchdog said.PTI NAB SKMNG