Arjun: Close call

New Delhi, May 10: The Election Commission today said Arjun Singh had failed to be seen as upholding the model code of conduct but stopped short of accusing him of violating it.

Persons in power “are expected not only to uphold it (model code) but should also be perceived to be so doing”, the five-page ruling issued tonight said. The commission had come to the “sad conclusion” that the HRD minister had failed to do so, it added.

However, in the absence of conclusive proof that Arjun had announced a new quota for Other Backward Classes, the commission “restrains itself from pronouncing an adverse finding of violation of the model code of conduct”.

The poll panel had sought an explanation after it was reported in the media that the minister had announced a 27 per cent quota for OBCs in higher education institutions, including IITs and IIMs. The model code for elections in five states was already in force at the time.

Arjun denied the allegation and said the government was yet to decide on the quota percentage. Earlier, the government had clarified that the cabinet had not taken up the matter.

The commission patted itself on the back, saying its notices to the Centre and Arjun had served “its intended purpose of putting restraint on statements by ministers, both of the Centre as well as of the states”.

Referring to Arjun’s denial, the commission said that “it would be a case of credulity stretched to its breaking point if one were to attribute all that was reported in the media? to nothing which was said to them but to merely a figment of their imagination.”

“May be Shri Arjun Singh did not specifically mention any percentage of seats to be reserved for the OBCs but it cannot be gainsaid that his statement, rather assurance on April 5, 2006, that the reservations would be effective from the coming academic year did trigger a nationwide debate and agitation on a highly sensitive issue concerning the whole country, including the people of the five states/Union territory which were in the thick of elections then,” it added.

Knowledge panel

Members of the Knowledge Commission today met the Prime Minister for the first time since it was made public that a majority of them was against more quotas in education.

The members described the meeting with Manmohan Singh, who set up the panel, as routine but the reservation issue did come up.

The members ? six of the eight had opposed more quotas ? individually expressed their views to the Prime Minister, who maintained a discreet silence. “The Prime Minister gave a patient hearing but did not say anything on the issue,” said Sam Pitroda, the chairperson of the commission.

He said the main agenda of the meeting was five critical areas of knowledge and education. Reservation came up at the end of the hour-long meeting. “We spent only 5 to 7 minutes over it,” Pitroda added.