EC agrees to amend rule on seizure of cash in Gujarat

EC agreed before the SC to amend its blanket order for seizing cash amount above Rs 2.5 lakh in transit during the Gujarat assembly elections.

New Delhi: The Election Commission Monday agreed before the Supreme Court to amend its blanket order for seizing cash amount above Rs 2.5 lakh in transit during the Gujarat assembly elections. Appearing before a bench of justices D K Jain and Madan B Lokur, Commission`s counsel senior advocate Ashok Desai that the poll panel`s July 2012 order will be dropped and amended provision will be placed in the Instruction on Election Expenditure Monitoring order.

After hearing the Commission`s plea, the bench first allowed it to amend instruction and passed the order at around 2.30 pm to incorporate the changed provision. But the matter was again mentioned at 4 pm by the Bhagyoday Jan Parishad and Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which contended that the amended provision is not clear. bench then posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. The bench was hearing an Election Commission`s appeal against the Gujarat High Court order which had quashed its orders for seizing cash above Rs 2.5 lakh saying that it was unconstitutional. PTI