The assistant returning officer, Vidhan Sabha constituency 25, Jagdish Lal, has slapped notice on the mayor of the Haridwar municipal corporation Anita Sharma for violating the model code of conduct. The notice stated that the mayor had put up board which contained her name on the e-rickshaw on March 14 while she had moved around in the city along with other boards hanging on sides of the rickshaw. As per the notice, no prior permission had been taken for the same.

The notice also stated that some comments on other political parties had been put on the boards found along the sides of the e-rickshaw. The notice further said that the violation of the Act had been committed under Assembly constituency no 25. It was a clear violation of the Peoples Representatives Act 1951 and model code of conduct for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the notice said.

The mayor has been asked to respond to the notice in writing till 11 am on March 18 with evidences at the office of the assistant returning officer at Devpura. In case of her failure to respond, she would be liable for action under 1951 Act and model code of conduct.

Notably, an unusual scene had been witnessed on the roads in the city as the mayor Anita Sharma was found moving in a battery-driven auto- rickshaw and visiting places. When asked why, she had said that she had been forced to move in the auto-rickshaw after the district magistrate had withdrawn the vehicle given to her by the district administration two days ago. “It was done because of the enforcement of the model code of conduct, but I have not been provided with any alternative conveyance.

Hence I am moving from place to place in the auto-rickshaw,” the mayor had said.