New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The Election Commission Wednesday directed the returning officer for the presidential poll to give details of the scrutiny proceedings and the order rejecting opposition backed P.A. Sangma’s objection to UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature.
Returning Officer V.K. Agnihotri, who is the secretary general of Rajya Sabha, had sought the poll panel’s view on whether to provide the details to Sangma.
“When he (Agnihotri) asked, then the EC (Election Commission suggested to him to give everybody, including Sangma, the details. He was also asked to put the proceedings on the website,” a poll panel official told IANS.
Sangma, who has the backing of several opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had written to Agnihotri seeking a copy of his order rejecting his objection the candidature of Mukherjee, who has been fielded by the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Sangma’s team had Monday demanded that Mukherjee’s nomination be rejected as he held an office of profit as the chairman of the Kolkata-based Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
Mukherjee, however, produced his resignation letter dated June 20 with acceptance from the ISI, after which Sangma’s objection was rejected and Mukherjee’s nomination was accepted.
However, at a press conference Tuesday, BJP alleged that Mukherjee’s signatures on the two documents submitted were different.
