Congress demands action against Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis for 'poll code violation'

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra unit of Congress today demanded that the State Election Commission took action against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over alleged breach of election code of conduct, and asked it to postpone the November 1 polls to Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation.

A delegation of Congress legislators led by the Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil met State Election Commissioner J S Saharia today and submitted a video clipping and newspaper cuttings of Fadnavis's speech in Kalyan last week, wherein he announced a Rs 6,500-crore package for the twin cities of Kalyan and Dombivali.

Congress spokesman Anant Gadgil said that Congress, in a memorandum to SEC, demanded that KDMC polls be deferred, and action should be taken against the Chief Minister for violating the code of conduct.

Sanjay Dutt, Congress legislator from Kalyan, informed Saharia that the local Congress unit had informed the EC observer ahead of the Chief Minister's rally that there was a possibility of poll code violation.

"Saharia told us that as per the guidelines of Election Commission of India, action in such cases can be taken only after the local observer submits his report. In this case, no such report was given," said Gadgil.

The SEC, however, assured that he would conduct inquiry into Fadnavis's speech and take necessary action, Gadgil added.