EC seeks clarification from Odisha govt, ruling BJD over use of party symbol in govt ads
New Delhi, Feb 28: The Election Commission has sought a clarification from the Odisha government and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the alleged use of party's 'conch' symbol in advertisements issued using public funds, sources said on Wednesday.
The Commission has sought their responses by March 2 evening.
Aassembly polls in Odisha would be held along with Lok Sabha elections, likely during April-May. Model Code of Conduct has not come into effect yet.
The poll panel had received complaints that the 'conch' symbol of BJD was being displayed and promoted through various advertisements in leading Odisha newspapers, TV channels, state transport buses and by way of hoardings in different cities.
The EC, under Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, has been following a stringent policy to ensure level-playing field for all parties and candidates.
According to the sources, the Commission viewed the advertisements being in violation of its instructions issued in October 2016.
"The Commission is of the view that utilising public funds/public places for promoting any political party or propagating its election symbol would be antithetical to the concept of free and fair election and the principle of level playing field for all stakeholders," the instructions had said.
The commission had directed that no political party will either use or allow the use of any public fund or public place or government machinery for carrying out any activity that would amount to advertisement for the party or propagating the election symbol allotted to it.
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Nine dead as fire breaks out in residential building in east Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): A fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar early Sunday, leaving nine people belonging to two families dead, including a toddler, officials said.
The incident was reported around 3.48 am at a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, following which police, fire and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.
According to the police, the blaze engulfed flats on the second, third and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said nine charred bodies were recovered from different floors.
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"One body was recovered from the first floor, five from the second floor and three from the staircase which was found locked," the DFS officer said.
Those found dead on the second floor have been identified as Arvind Jain (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), son Nishant Jain (35), daughter-in-law Anchal Jain (33) and grandchild Akash Jain.
On the third floor, three members of a family were found dead. They were identified as Nitin Jain (50), wife Shailey Jain (48) and son Samyak Jain (25).
On the first floor a woman identified as Shikha Jain (45) was found dead while her husband Naveen Jain (48) sustained injuries.
A senior police officer said, "Around 10 to 15 people were rescued from the premises during the firefighting operation. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital."
A total of 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, while teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local police assisted in the rescue and evacuation efforts.
Police said the fire was brought under control after several hours. Efforts are underway to determine the cause of the fire, police said.
Further investigation and proceedings are underway.
