Taking cognisance of a media report that Bollywood star and SP nominee from Lucknow Sanjay Dutt had allegedly arrived at a college for campaigning even as examinations were going on, the Election Commission today sought a report from the district magistrate on the matter.
"We have sought a report from the district magistrate regarding Dutt's campaigning in the National PG college yesterday where he reportedly reached half an hour before the examinations were over," the Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Electoral Officer Amrit Abhijat told reporters.
"We will assess the report from the DM and decide whether it amounts to violation of model code of conduct or not," he added.
The media report said that Dutt reached National PG Degree college yesterday evening to meet students and teachers half
an hour before the examinations were to get over.
Meanwhile, when asked about the matter, senior SP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Virendra Bhatia, who accompanied Dutt to
the college, told reporters that they went there on invitation of Lucknow University Associated Teachers Association and it
was an informal get-together.
"We did not organise a public meeting there. We sat in a room there and met with teachers and students. I don't think
we disturbed anyone there," Bhatia said.
Meanwhile, Election Commission also sought a report from the district magistrates of Lucknow and Farrukhabad, where
Lodh conferences were organised allegedly by Samajwadi Party.
"We have sought a report from DMs of Lucknow and Farukhabad on the Lodh conferences organised there yesterday,"
Additional Chief Electoral Officer Amrit Abhijat told reporters here in reply to a question.
Earlier, registering a complaint in this regard to the EC, BJP spokesman Hriday Narain Dixit alleged that SP had
violated model code of conduct by organsing caste-based conference, which was not permitted by the Commission.
"It not only violation of model code of conduct but a crime under section 125 of People's Representation Act and
should be dealt with strictly," Dixit said in a letter to the EC.