Serious lapse in EC letter, action taken against official: CEO

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief electoral officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar on Tuesday termed BJP seal appearing in Election Commission's official communication as "serious lapse" and said action was taken against the officer responsible for handling the file.Addressing reporters, Kelkar said a detailed explanation on the incident was submitted on Monday. "The use of a political party's seal in an official Election Commission communication is a grave error. We have taken action against the official who handled the file," he said. Further steps would be initiated based on the ongoing inquiry's findings, he added.The development comes in the wake of the controversy after an official letter sent to political parties reportedly carried BJP's seal.Kelkar said CEO's office has sought legal opinion from the standing counsel in connection with the "Hindu MLA" remark by BJP candidate B Gopalakrishnan during campaigning. "Based on the legal opinion, we will send a report to Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking their guidance. Any further action will depend on ECI's direction," Kelkar said, while declining to comment on the nature of possible action against the candidate.The controversy pertains to a campaign video in which Gopalakrishnan allegedly stated that Guruvayur constituency had not elected a Hindu MLA for nearly five decades and accused both Left and Congress-led fronts of not fielding candidates from the community. The remarks drew sharp criticism from both CPM and Congress, which lodged formal complaints with EC.ECI holds reviewMeanwhile, ECI on Tuesday held a high-level review meeting with chief secretaries, chief electoral officers, directors general of police, senior officials and heads of enforcement agencies from five poll-bound states and Union territories, along with 12 neighbouring states sharing borders with them.ECI reviewed the overall preparedness for the upcoming elections and stressed the need for stronger coordination to ensure free, fair, violence-free and inducement-free polls.States going to polls briefed ECI on their general preparedness, law and order concerns, expenditure monitoring measures and coordination issues with central agencies and neighbouring states. ECI directed that special focus be given to border districts to maintain peace and order, including measures such as sealing borders where necessary.Neighbouring states were instructed to extend all required support to ensure inducement-free and violence-free elections in poll-bound regions.Heads of agencies, including CBDT, CBIC, enforcement directorate, directorate of revenue intelligence, CEIB, FIU-IND, RBI, Indian Banks' Association, narcotics control bureau, Indian coast guard, BCAS, Airports Authority of India, department of posts and central armed police forces such as CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, RPF and ITBP were directed to remain on high alert. They were asked to intensify surveillance and strengthen checks at interstate borders.ECI directed central agencies such as narcotics control bureau, income tax department, central GST and directorate of revenue intelligence to step up pre-election enforcement based on intelligence inputs, and maximise seizures of illegal cash, liquor, drugs and arms.