Poll code relaxed in Karnataka

Bangalore, April 23 (IANS) The Election Commission Wednesday relaxed the Model Code of Conduct in Karnataka, five days after polling was held in all the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, an official said.

"The EC has agreed to the request of the state government to relax the model code, which was enforced March 5 for the Lok Sabha election in the state April 17," state chief electoral officer Anil Kumar Jha told IANS here.

The conditional relaxation will enable the state government to resume administrative activities that were suspended during the election period.

It will also allow ministers and officials who were not deputed on election duty to undertake tours and inspection of schemes.

"The ministers and lawmakers are also allowed to conduct review meetings with officials of their respective departments and use government vehicles for official tours," Jha said.

Deputy commissioners of districts who were returning officers for the Lok Sabha seats and their assistant returning officers, however, will not be attending official meetings as they are considered to be on election duty till counting of votes May 16.

"The state government will have to seek special permission from the EC for making fresh recruitments or official transfers," Jha said.

As per the poll panel's guidelines, the state government will be allowed to take up projects that were under implementation before the model code came into force.