NEW DELHI: Taking note of his bribery remarks, the Election Commission has said that the Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar violated the norms while campaigning for the Goa Assembly elections and he should be more “ circumspect and careful in the future.’
The poll panel rejected the minister’s claim that the CD carrying his purported remarks has been tampered with and that the translation of his statement from Konkani to English is faulty, the Commission said leaders should be careful in their public utterances.
The poll panel had seen a translation of his speech which it had considered to be a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
During campaigning for the Goa Assembly elections Parrikar had said, ``You vote by taking 2000 (two thousand) rupees from someone. It is ok. Someone will hold a rally. There is no objection, if someone roams with 500 (five hundred) rupee. But, you should keep in mind that the vote shall come to lotus only.”
The Commission advised that all leaders, especially those who occupy high constitutional positions, are expected to ensure and promote the sanctity of the electoral process. “Public utterances by such persons which even remotely give the indication of condoning the act of accepting bribe in connection with elections are not acceptable as it could amount to encouraging bribery in elections, which apart from being an electoral offence, is also a corrupt practice,” the Commission said.