TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Independent candidate contesting from Saligao constituency Trajano D’Mello has accused the media monitoring committee of the Election Commission of acting in a biased and communal fashion in dealing with a case registered against him.

D’Mello who was arrested, and booked under Section 127 (A) of the Representation of People's Act and Section 6 of the Cable, Television, Network Regulation Act for releasing an advertisement without the approval of the Media Monitoring committee, has said that the EC has not spelt out how his advertisement is in violation of the code of conduct.

“My election agent was told to delete all pictures showing the priests. My election agent requested them to give it in writing. Accordingly on 17th February 2012 I received a letter from the office of the additional district magistrate and chairman of media certification and monitoring committee informing that the committee was of the view that part of advertisement of CD was of religious nature and violating Election Model Code of Conduct. The committee has no right to decide on their views but rather to follow the law and rule in letter and spirit,” D’Mello said.

In their “in writing” statement the election commission has attached the copy of the code of conduct and highlighted the relevant provisions that have been violated.

D’Mello said he was willing to make whatever changes necessary. “I have replied saying that all the necessary changes would be made to ensure that no provision of the code of conduct was violated,” D’Mello said EC is yet to reply to him as to the exact nature of the changes to be made.

He however said that he has great faith in the office of the Election Commission of India but that officers appointed in crucial positions to run the elections in an unbiased, free and fair manner “have exposed the communal blood that runs in them.”

Trajano showed a clipping of his advertisement that was telecast and said that although there were clippings of churches and priests their voice was not heard and hence that could not be construed as them making an appeal and further that he was not using the platform of a religious institution to promote his candidature.