Congress urges Election Commission to permit Vishu-Ramzan fairs in Kerala

PTI, Apr 9, 2024, 11:03 AM IST

The Congress in Kerala on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to allow the state government to host the Vishu-Ramzan fairs, organised annually by the State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Ltd, ahead of the festive season.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting the same and pointed out that it does not violate the model poll conduct in any way as it is an annual affair.

”I am writing to request the Election Commission to allow the state government to host the Vishu-Ramzan fairs organised by the Kerala State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Ltd ahead of the festive season,” he said in the letter.

Satheesan said as per state government officials, the Election Commission has denied the Consumers’ federation from holding subsidy fairs ahead of the Vishu and Ramsan festivals, citing poll conduct.

”With the prices of essential commodities skyrocketing, subsidy fairs should have provided much-needed relief to the general public ahead of the festival season,” he said.

The LoP further said he believes that as the festive fairs are held on an annual basis, it does not violate the model poll conduct in any way.

In a statement issued today, Satheesan accused the LDF government in the state of running away from its responsibilities and cheating people in the name of poll conduct.

The Supplyco outlets have been running out of essential commodities for some time, and they are now trying to avoid the festival fairs in the name of the code of conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Satheesan alleged.