Poll panel asks Vayalar Ravi to pay for Kannur visit

New Delhi, Nov 4 : The Election Commission of India pulled up Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi for violating the model code of conduct during his visit to Kannur in Kerala where an assembly by-poll is due Nov 7, and Wednesday asked him to reimburse to the government the expenses incurred on his trip.

The poll panel Wednesday asked Ravi to pay the cost of the government facilities he used like the air fare, transport, boarding and lodging during his visit to Kannur Oct 16.

"The ECI has directed Vayalar Ravi to reimburse to the government the expenditure incurred on the government facilities availed, like air fare, transport, boarding and lodging etc," said a commission statement here.

The poll panel issued a notice to Ravi last week for announcing financial grant of Rs.500,000 for improving sports facilities at Nirmalagiri College, Kuthuparamba, during his visit to Kannur.

The Kannur district collector Oct 20 submitted a report to the chief electoral officer on the alleged violation of the model code of conduct by Ravi during the period campaigning in Kannur constituency.

In response to the notice, Ravi explained that it was a private visit and expressed his regret for the lapses committed by his staff.

"The commission has further directed that necessary instructions be issued to the staff to be for more careful in future," the Election Commission added.

The Congress has fielded A.P. Abdulla Kutty, who till early this year was a two-time Lok Sabha member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). The Marxists have fielded a heavyweight in M.V. Jayarajan, who won from the nearby Edakadu constituency in 1996 and 2001.