DEHRADUN: A website to enrol for unemployment allowance cards in poll-bound Uttarakhand has been shut down on the orders of the Election Commission. Following the poll panel's direction, the website has been shut down by the police, state Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said.
The move comes following the Election Commission's letter to the DGP asking him to take action in the matter.
As part of Chief Minister Harish Rawat's nine 'sankalps' (commitments), announced recently ahead of February 15 polls, if Congress returns to power it would provide one job per household for a youth between 18-35 years of age by 2020.
It also aims to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 for every jobless person of that age group through a 'Berozgari Bhatta Card' (unemployment allowance card).
A case under Section 66 of the IT Act has been registered at the Cyber Police Station against unidentified people for running the website, Inspector General of Police (law and order), Deepam Seth, said.
Taking cognisance of reports that 'berozgari bhatta cards' were being distributed at Congress' public meetings, Additional CEO V Shanmugham had sent a letter to the party seeking explanation as to why it should not be treated as gross violation of the model code of conduct.
In response to the letter, Congress denied the party's involvement in it, with its state unit vice-president Jot Singh saying some supporters might have been involved in it and the party would prevent them from doing so.