Lucknow, May 8 (Inditop) The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress candidates from the Kheri Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh have been charged with violating the model code of conduct after they allegedly distributed gifts among voters, an official said Friday.

“A notice has been issued to Zafar Ali Naqvi of the Congress and Illiyas Azmi of the BSP by the district administration for defying the poll conduct,” said Lakhimpur-Kheri district magistrate Senthil Pandiyan C.

Both the candidates have been accused of distributing gifts like watches, clothes and even mobile phones to lure voters during their election campaigns last week, he added.

Kheri, which goes to polls in the last phase of parliamentary elections May 13, is around 150 km from Lucknow.

Naqvi and Illiyas have to reply to the notice by Sunday. The notice was issued late Thursday.