Raipur, Oct 17: The Election Commission has taken cognizance of reports of distribution of school bags by Chhattisgarh government even after its ban and asked all the district collectors to immediately send a detailed report to it. Although the commission banned the free distribution of school bags with Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's photo embossed on them by the state government on October 14, there were reports that the bags were distributed in the schools in Bastar district the next day, state election commission sources told news agencies here.

After it came to the notice of the chief electoral officer, Chhattisgarh K K Chakraborty, he directed all the district collectors, including Bastar, to immediately stop the distribution, the sources said.

When contacted Bastar District Collecor L N Suryawanshi told news agencies by phone that the bags were distributed on Wednesday since they had not received any communique from the commission.
He said that the distribution were stopped immediately after the directions were received from the commission.

The Election Commission on October 14 banned in the state distribution of school bags with Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's photograph embossed on them.

The commission took the decision after taking into account a representation that the Congress government in the state was distributing school bags with Jogi's photo free of cost through its tribal welfare department.
Bureau Report