New Delhi, Sept. 30: The Election Commission tonight sought a report from the cabinet secretary on yesterday?s announcement of a commission for religious and linguistic minorities, sources said.

They said the cabinet secretary has been asked to submit the report by October 4.

The Union cabinet had yesterday cleared the creation of a national commission to recommend welfare measures, including reservations, for the backward among religious and linguistic minorities.

A BJP team today urged the poll panel to take ?corrective action? against the ?violation? of the model code of conduct.

After submitting a memorandum to the Election Commission, BJP leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and V.K. Malhotra said the cabinet decision and the policy announcement were a ?calculated move? to woo minorities in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh, where polls are round the corner.

?This is a deliberate and blatant violation of the code of conduct which not only disapproves of announcements, policy decisions and promises during an election process, but also in addition categorically states that there shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes,? the memorandum said.

Naqvi said the Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council had also ?flouted? the code by announcing projects for health insurance and free toilets. He added that the council should be covered by the model code as it is government-funded.

The BJP leader said the move to set up the commission is ?against the interests of the minorities because they are being exploited for vote-bank politics. When the issue of employment is given a religious colour, it sows the seeds of divisiveness?.