Election Commission pulls up Congress for Karnataka Government ads in Telangana newspapers

HYDERABAD: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a notice to the Congress-led Karnataka Government over alleged model code of conduct violation by placing Government ads in Telangana.

The ECI on Monday said that the BJP and the BRS had complained that the Karnataka Government published advertisements in several Hyderabad-based newspapers.

The ECI said that it examined its own records and found that neither such approval was granted by it nor any such application from Karnataka was pending for decision.

“The said act of giving advertisements highlighting the welfare schemes and achievements of the government by the Government of Karnataka in newspapers having circulations in poll going state of Telangana is in gross violation of the Commission's above directions,” the ECI notification stated.

The poll panel has asked the Chief Secretary of the Karnataka Government to explain the circumstances which led to the alleged violation of