Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha on Monday replied to the Election Commission notice for prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct by announcing new schemes ahead of December 4 Yercaud Assembly bypoll.
The Commission asked her to reply to its notice by 5 pm on Tuesday as to why action should not be initiated against her for violation of the Model Code. Jayalalithaa has been accused of announcing new schemes for development of the area where bye-elections are being held on November 28.
Here is the text of the letter dated 2.12.2013 addressed by Selvi J Jayalalithaa, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to the Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India, New Delhi:
With reference to the communication from the Election Commission of India in the letter bearing No.100/TN-LA/1/2013, dated 2nd December, 2013, which was enclosed along with the letter of the Chief Electoral Officer & Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu vide his reference No.3806/2013-330, dated 2.12.2013, which was received by me at 3.30 pm on 2.12.2013, I am sending the following reply.
At the outset, your notice does not mention the name of the complainant but from the contents of the complaint extracted in the second para of the notice it is presumed that the complaint has been made by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam which is an adversary and political rival of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. It is vehemently denied that any announcement of new schemes was made while I was campaigning for the AIADMK Party candidate on 28.11.2013 in Yercaud Constituency.
My speeches to the electorate were in Tamil. I never made any promise or announcement of any new schemes in any of my speeches made on 28.11.2013. I referred to the various development schemes already implemented and under implementation in the State after I assumed charge as Chief Minister of the State for the third term. I also referred to various developmental schemes already implemented and under implementation in Yercaud Constituency. I emphatically deny that my speech was in the nature of alluding to different social and infrastructure requirements such as opening of new Health Centres etc. I mentioned in my speech that the requirements for the development of Yercaud Constituency have been brought to my notice. I made a general statement that whatever is required for the upliftment of the people in the area would be provided. It would not be correct to link the unrelated general statement with the requirements which were brought to my notice.
I did not promise that any specific schemes would be implemented. I emphatically deny that I made any specific promise of providing any one of the requirements which were brought to my notice. I repeat that in my speech I only made a general statement that whatever is required for the progress of the people living in Yercaud Constituency would be provided by the Government. Hence there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
I, further, state that since my speech was in Tamil the same has not been correctly reflected in the English translation. No specific promises have been made. I therefore, would reiterate that I have not violated sub para (vi) of para "II-Party in Power" and no action is warranted on that score.
Further, in any event, in my speech I have not announced any financial grant in any form, or promise thereof, and did not make promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities etc., so as to attract the above said Model Code of Conduct.
Your communication under reference proceeds on the basis of a conjunctive reference to the requirements of the area and assurance to meeting development requirements of the area by the Government. First of all there is no basis for coming to such a conclusion in the fourth para of the notice and that too by making a conjunctive reference, which is mere surmise and suspicion and which is inadmissible in law, more so in the case of interpreting the Model Code of Conduct.
In view of the above I would request you to drop the proposed action pursuant to your show cause notice under reply.
Further, it is also brought to your notice that my name has been misspelt in the communication sent to me.
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