Goa electoral officer refers complaint on mining lease with Vedanta to Election Commission
The additional chief electoral officer in Goa has referred to the Election Commission a complaint alleging that the state government signed a mining lease with Vedanta Limited in violation of the Model Code of Conduct, reported The Indian Express on Thursday.
The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the election commission that political parties, candidates and governments have to follow while campaigning. The guidelines came into effect on March 16 when the poll body announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections.
On April 5, the non-governmental organisation Goa Foundation filed a complaint with the chief electoral officer in Goa, alleging that the lease deed between the state government and Vedanta Limited for resuming mining in Bicholim Mining Block 1 was signed on March 22.
The organisation alleged that the agreement was “now being used by the government to win votes by informing voters that mining has resumed in Goa”, reported The Indian Express.
Claude Alvares, the director of the Goa Foundation, claimed the purpose of the lease was to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, according to Hindustan Times.
The office of the state’s chief electoral officer subsequently sought a response to the complaint from the Directorate of Mines and Geology. In its reply, the state government said signing...