BENGALURU: Congress' Karnataka social media in-charge Srivatsa Y B today said he has told the Election Commission that a newsbreak on an English TV channel was the source for his tweets on the schedule of Karnataka assembly election, before the official announcement.
The Election Commission had formed a committee of officials to inquire into the alleged information leak pertaining to the schedule, before its official announcement on Tuesday.
"Yes they (officials) reached out to me yesterday. I have also already given my reply," Srivatsa told PTI.
The KPCC social media in-charge said he has informed officials that he got the information from a newsbreak on an English news channel.
Asked if he has been asked to appear before the committee, he said "not as of now."
Srivatsa had tweeted the poll schedule on March 27 with a wrong counting date, minutes before it was officially announced by the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi.
"Karnataka Elections on 12th May. Results on 18th May. #INC4Karnataka" his tweet read.
The EC has announced a single-phase election for the 224-member Karnataka Legislative Assembly to be held on May 12. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 15.
Srivatsa's written response uploaded on the commission's website said the source of his information was a newsbreak that he saw on an English TV Channel at 11.06 a.m, which he then used to post his tweet.
"It's my submission that my tweet wasn't intended to infringe upon the constitutional mandate of the EC to conduct free and fair elections," he has said.
Srivatsa has also attached the screen prints of the television channel as well as his tweet with the letter.
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