New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday completed its hearing in connection with the notice served on Law Minister Salman Khurshid over his promise of increasing sub-quota for backward minorities while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.
The Election Commission had issued a showcause notice to Khurshid for having promised that his party would provide nine per cent reservation to backward minorities from the existing 27 per cent reservation meant for OBCs should it return to power in UP.
Khurshid had made the remarks on January 10 in Farrukhabad while campaigning for his wife Louise who is contesting as a Congress candidate from there. The notice was served after BJP complained against him for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by making such promises to woo minority voters.
Wrapping up the arguments for the Law Minister, his lawyer Abhishek Singhvi told the Commission that Khurshid had not done anything wrong and in doing so was acting as an individual Congressman and not as a minister.
"The Election Commission has completed a second set of detailed hearing today and all relevant facts have been put before it. But the contentions on behalf of Congress party and Mr Khurshid made by us were that Mr Khurshid was acting purely and totally in his capacity as an individual Congressman. He made no announcement as a minister," Singhvi told reporters after the hour-long meeting with EC.
BJP also appeared before the Commission and sought stern action against the Law Minister for alleged violation of model code of conduct by wooing voters through such promises.
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