EC reprimands Gujarat minister Sanghani

Gujarat Agriculture Minister Dilip Sanghani was reprimanded by the Election Commission on Friday for model code violation and told to be careful in future.
  
The Commission found Sanghani guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct by laying the foundation stone of a road project in Baiarvadi area of Amreli municipality of Saurashtra region of Gujarat on October 4.
  
The Model Code came into force on October 3 following the declaration of election schedules for the state. The state goes to polls in two phases on December 13 and 17.
  
"The Commission, after carefully considering his reply, and witnessing the CD of the said function and perusing the transcripts of the speeches made by Dilip Sanghani and others at the said function, is of the considered view that he duly participated in foundation stone laying ceremony (Khat Mahurat) of road works in Batarvadi area of Amreli Municipality on 4-10-2012, and thereby violated the Model Code of Conduct," said an EC order.
  
It further read, "The Commission hereby reprimands Shri Dilip Sanghani, Minister of Agriculture, Government of Gujarat, for the aforesaid violation of the Model Code of Conduct and cautions him to be careful in future."
  
The Commission had issued a notice to Sanghani on October 9 to explain by October 12, as to why action should not be taken against him for violating the aforesaid provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and after the District Electoral officer-cum-collector of Amreli sent its enquiry report alongwith the video of the function in which the minister participated.

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