Election commission of India has issued a Showcause notice to senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan to explain why he should not be disqualified under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act in a case pertaining to ‘paid news.
In the notice which was issued on Sunday, EC has given 20 days to reply why he should not be stripped of his membership of the House and disqualified from contesting an election for a period of three years.
The case relates to the elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly held in September-October, 2009 wherein Chavan was the candidate from Bhokar seat.
The complainants, namely, Madhavrao Kinhalkar, one of the rival contestants, BJP vice president Kirit Somaiya and four others, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP MP and and five others, have alleged in their submission made before the Election Commission that Chavan got several advertisements published in various regional newspapers during the poll campaign.
The complainants had alleged that the advertisements which appeared in newspapers in the garb of news praising Chavan and his achievements as chief minister, were "paid news".
It was alleged by them that a huge expenditure was incurred or authorised by Chavan for getting those advertisements and the articles published as news, and that the expenditure incurred or authorised on the publication of those paid news was not included by Chavan in his account of election expenses maintained under section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/5493-cq-ec-issues-showcause-notice-to-ashok-chavan-in-%E2%80%98paid-news-case%E2%80%99.html
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