Direct cash transfer: EC may seek Congress view

The Election Commission is not likely to take any major action on the BJP’s complaint against the Government that the announcement of direct cash transfer was a violation of model code of conduct. The Commission, which discussed the views of the Government on the Opposition’s complaint here on Monday, however, is likely to send a letter to the Cabinet Secretary expressing displeasure at the way it was announced. The poll panel may seek an explanation from the Congress for using the party’s platform to announce a Government scheme, a source in the Commission said. However, panel officials indicated that there was no ground for initiating legal action against the Centre on the complaint by the Opposition. The panel, sources added, was convinced by the Government’s argument that the decision to implement direct cash transfers was announced in the last Budget, and thus it was not a violation of the poll code. “This (direct cash transfer) is only an implementation of an announcement that has already been made,” Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters here.