EC asks Mulayam to be careful in his comments

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Friday ruled that Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's recent statement asking UP government teachers to vote for SP or face withdrawal of their regularized status had violated the model code but let him off with a mere warning to be more careful in future.

The lenient treatment followed Mulayam's assurance to the poll panel that he would not make any reference to 'shiksha mitra' (primary school teachers) during the remainder of the poll campaign. Mulayam, in his reply to the EC notice issued to him over his April 3 speech in Bulandshahr, sought to defend his remarks saying the decision to regularize government teachers was taken by the UP regime well before elections were declared. He said that as president of the party in power (in UP), he had no power to amend or modify the decision. Mulayam even denied having said that the decision to regularize government teachers would be withdrawn if the 'shiksha mitras' did not support SP.

The commission, however, on viewing the video recording of his speech, was convinced that he had made the impugned statement. It held that Mulayam had violated provisions of the model code of conduct that restrain the party in power from misusing its official position for the purpose of its campaign and bar ministers and other authorities from announcing financial grants or promises thereof.

Taking note of the SP chief's assurance that he would avoid any reference to 'shiksha mitra' in his election campaign, the commission decided not to go in for an outright censure of the remarks but only warned him to be more careful in future and not make any statement during campaigning that may constitute a violation of the poll code.