New Delhi, April 13: The human resource development ministry is keeping its fingers crossed over the Election Commission’s queries on quotas in educational institutions, including IIMs and IITs.

But the CPM has showed no hesitation in adding the issue to its long list of complaints against the commission.

Human resource development minister Arjun Singh will have to submit his reply to the commission by April 18, explaining “mismatches” between his statements and what appeared in the media on Singh’s statements on 27.5 per cent quota for the backward classes.

This is the second time that the commission has sought an explanation from Singh ? the first time it wanted to find out whether the minister violated the model code of conduct by “announcing” the government’s move to implement quotas in educational institutions.

The HRD minister has defended himself by saying that the government is bound by the 93rd Constitutional Amendment Act, which mandates it to provide quota for OBC students. Singh has further said he did not make any announcement on April 5 when he released the new NCERT textbooks.

Sources said the minister is keeping the contents of his second reply close to his chest. Officials, however, are culling media reports which will have to be presented to the commission to vindicate Singh’s contention.

The ministry says the charge levelled by the commission does not “complicate” matters but there are signs of nervousness as the quota formula is already being strongly contested.

But sources said the ongoing fracas would not deter Singh from going ahead with the Mandal formula.

The minister has found an ally in the CPM, too, which had already locked horns with the poll commission over decisions related to Bengal.

In an article in the latest edition of the CPM mouthpiece, People’s Democracy, the party has written: “The Election Commission’s query to the government to explain how this (OBC quota) does not violate the code of conduct is yet another instance of applying double standards.”

“If the commission can question the follow-up action of a constitutional amendment as a decision that can influence voters, then what about the ongoing yatras of L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh, which are stridently raising the Ram Mandir issue and arousing communal passions?” asked the article. “The commission chooses to be silent on this.”