EC asks Punjab Governor to take action against State Information Commissioner

New Delhi/Chandigarh, Feb 15 (IANS) The Election Commission on Tuesday asked Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to take action against state Information Commissioner Anumit Singh Sodhi after complaints of him allegedly running an election campaign in favour of his father and BJP leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi.

The EC has forwarded the request to Governor to appropriate action against him as per the law.

In Chandigarh, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S. Karuna Raju said on Tuesday, two complaints were received against Sodhi, alleging that he, in violation of the powers conferred upon him as the Information Commissioner, is running an election campaign in favour of his father.

The EC letter read: "The video or pictures sent by the complainant do not leave any doubt that Anumit Singh Sodhi is taking part in the election campaign and undertaking political activity.

"On the basis of the reports, facts, rules and provisions of Model Code of Conduct, the commission has found that Anumit Singh Sodhi has violated the general provisions of RTI Act and the provisions of Model Code of Conduct issued by the Election Commission of India."

The EC has also written a letter to the Secretary, State Information Commission, citing "the Election Commission has desired that it may be brought to the notice of all Information Commissioners to restrain them from any campaigning in official vehicle, keeping in view Section 12 (6) of Right to Information Act, 2005 and Commission's extant instructions on tours of members of various commissions during the period of elections".

Punjab will go to the polls for 117-member Assembly on February 20.

Rana Sodhi, a four-time MLA, had joined the BJP on December 21 last year. He was a cabinet minister in Captain Amarinder Singh's government but did not find a berth when Charanjit Singh Channi took over.

Soon after his removal, Rana Sodhi, who is considered close to Amarinder Singh, left the Congress.

The MLA from the Gur Har Sahai constituency, he is also contesting the Assembly election from the same constituency on a BJP ticket.

After his joining the BJP, the Centre accorded him a Z category security.