<p>Directing the senior DMK leader to send his written reply to its notice “by March 7,” the commission has said that on his failure to do so, it would be assumed that he had nothing to say in the matter and action as deemed fit would be initiated against him without any further notice.<br /><br />The EC observed that Alagiri visited Chennai on March 2 violating its instructions relating to the official visits of ministers to poll going states. It has also taken note of the media reports alleging that he later made a visit to Madurai on March 4 and indulged in political activities.<br /><br />“Now, therefore, the Election Commission hereby gives notice to you (Alagiri), to show cause, as to why action should not be taken against you for the above violations of the model code of conduct,” the EC stated in its notice to the minister. <br /><br />The model code of conduct came into force with immediate effect with the election commission announcing the schedules of Assembly polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and West Bengal on March 1.<br /><br />It was intimated that the minister had made an official visit to Chennai to review the functioning of the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology in public interest, the EC noted. However, in the letter written by Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers secretary to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, “it is nowhere certified that your (Alagiri’s) visit to Chennai was purely official business which could not be avoided in public interest,” it observed.<br /><br />The EC also observed that as per its instructions, the secretary of the Alagiri’s ministry should have given prior intimation to the chief secretary of his visit but he wrote to the state government on March 3. <br /><br />“By combining your visit to Chennai, which is said to be official, with your visit to Madurai and indulging in political activities there, you have violated the provisions of model code of conduct,” it said.<br /></p>
<p>Directing the senior DMK leader to send his written reply to its notice “by March 7,” the commission has said that on his failure to do so, it would be assumed that he had nothing to say in the matter and action as deemed fit would be initiated against him without any further notice.<br /><br />The EC observed that Alagiri visited Chennai on March 2 violating its instructions relating to the official visits of ministers to poll going states. It has also taken note of the media reports alleging that he later made a visit to Madurai on March 4 and indulged in political activities.<br /><br />“Now, therefore, the Election Commission hereby gives notice to you (Alagiri), to show cause, as to why action should not be taken against you for the above violations of the model code of conduct,” the EC stated in its notice to the minister. <br /><br />The model code of conduct came into force with immediate effect with the election commission announcing the schedules of Assembly polls in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, and West Bengal on March 1.<br /><br />It was intimated that the minister had made an official visit to Chennai to review the functioning of the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology in public interest, the EC noted. However, in the letter written by Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers secretary to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, “it is nowhere certified that your (Alagiri’s) visit to Chennai was purely official business which could not be avoided in public interest,” it observed.<br /><br />The EC also observed that as per its instructions, the secretary of the Alagiri’s ministry should have given prior intimation to the chief secretary of his visit but he wrote to the state government on March 3. <br /><br />“By combining your visit to Chennai, which is said to be official, with your visit to Madurai and indulging in political activities there, you have violated the provisions of model code of conduct,” it said.<br /></p>