Srinagar, May 19 (UNI) Election Department has taken action against 40 government employees for violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Four employees have been suspended, disciplinary action has been initiated against one besides one employee has been disengaged from services and inquiry has been started against 34 employees", an official communique received here on Sunday said.
The swift action against these employees of different departments of J&K has been initiated in response to the daily online reports being furnished by the District Election Officers concerned of different districts and offline complaints received on the official E-mail id of J&K Chief Electoral Officer, lodged by general public, office bearers of different political parties and Panchayati Raj Institutions regarding MCC violation.
The move was aimed at ensuring free and fair conduct of ongoing general elections while adhering to the zero-tolerance policy of Election Commission of India against such violations.
The two employees have been placed under suspension in Kupwara, one in Ganderbal and one in Doda district with the initiation of inquiry against them.
Disciplinary action has been recommended against one employee whose involvement in political activities was proven while one chowkidar has been disengaged/dismissed from services for proven involvement in political activities.
The concerned authority has issued a warning to one employee to remain careful in the future who has pleaded to have committed the mistake unknowingly.
The inquiries are underway against 34 employees including six gazetted employees which will be taken to a logical conclusion as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, it said.
The highest number of violations have been reported from Srinagar district followed by Kulgam and Rajouri as second highest and Udhampur and Ganderbal districts as third highest while the lowest number of violations have been reported from Kishtwar, Bandipora, Reasi and Samba districts, the communiqué added. UNI QAB SSP