paper.hindustantimes/epaper/viewer.aspx 1 Nov 2014 Hindustan Times (Delhi) HT Correspondent htreporters@hindustantimes EC questions Centre on compensation for riot victims NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has sought an explanation from the Home Ministry for deciding on fresh compensation for 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims. The model code of conduct is in force in view of the upcoming by-polls to three assembly seats in the Capital. The poll watch dog had announced polls for Krishna Nagar, Mehrauli and Tughlaqabad along with that for Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand last Saturday. This enforces the model code of conduct in the three states. Sources said that the EC dashed off a letter to the Home Ministry seeking explanation for the decision. It is being seen as an attempt by the BJP led Centre to influence voters in the Capital and Jammu and Kashmir. The home ministry has decided to give an additional ` 5 lakh as compensation to each of the next of the kin of the 3,325 victims of the anti-Sikh riots. The government’s decision was apparently taken a week ago. It was discovered on Thursday even though the ministry had made no official announcement. Of the total victims, 2,733 were killed in Delhi while the rest were from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The compensation could cost the government ` 166 crore. The EC will, however, take a call on whether the government decision amounted to violation of the model code after receiving the Home Ministry’s reply. It was a suo-motto decision of the commission to seek explanation from the ministry as not even a single political party had lodged a complaint against the government.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 09:45:09 +0000
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