New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh election
authorities have served a show-cause notice on Congress
nominee from Farrukhabad Louise Khurshid over her husband Law
minister Salman Khurshid`s promise to voters of granting nine
per cent sub-quota for backward Muslims in the state if voted
to power.
The Law minister while campaigning for his wife Louise in
Farrukhabad yesterday had promised to the electorate that if
Congress was voted to power in the state it would enhance the
sub-quota to Muslims to 9 per cent within the 27 per cent
quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Taking cognisance of the Law minister`s promises, the
state Election Office served a show-cause to his wife to
explain within three days the statements made by her husband
while campaigning in her favour.
Farrukhabad District Electoral Officer Sachchidanand
Dubey said that "a show cause notice has been served on
Louise Khurshid by the Returning Officer for Farrukhabad
assembly constituency Ashok Kumar Lal".
Taking strong exception to the Law Minister`s statement on
sub-quota for muslims and terming it as a "violation" of the
election model code of conduct, a delegation of BJP leaders
had also met Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi in Delhi
and sought action.
Khurshid had said the Congress would provide nine per cent
reservation for backward Muslims within the existing OBC quota
in UP in the event of the party forming the government in the
state. He said more than eight castes such as Mansoori and
Qureshi would benefit from such a move.
He had also reminded the voters that the UPA government at
the Centre had already taken a decision to provide 4.5 per
cent reservation for minorities within the existing 27 per
cent OBC quota.
PTI
