Ranchi, Oct 9 (PTI) In a bid to counter BJP's proposed 'Gogo Didi' scheme, the ruling JMM on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission requesting permission to implement 'JMM Samman Yojana' in Jharkhand, where assembly polls are due later this year.
Under the scheme, JMM promises to provide financial assistance of Rs 2,500 per month, amounting to Rs 30,000 per year, to women beneficiaries.
"We submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission seeking its approval to implement our proposed JMM Samman Yojana. The scheme cannot be implemented without permission from the commission as per a press note issued on May 2," JMM general secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey told reporters outside the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jharkhand.
"If it (EC) finds that the BJP's proposed scheme is not illegal, it should also permit the JMM's scheme," he said.
According to the press note issued by the EC, political parties and candidates seeking voters' details on the pretext of surveys for their proposed beneficiary schemes are considered as a corrupt practice of bribery under Section 123 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, he said.
It also restricts parties to lure or influence voters for political gains, he said.
Pandey claimed that a registration form is being circulated by the BJP, inviting applicants to register under the 'Gogo Didi Yojana'.
"The form asks for details like name, address, mobile number, panchayat, block, district name and others and the scheme promises to give Rs 2,100 to each woman on the 11th of every month and Rs 25,000 per year. This is a sheer violation of Representation of the People Act and aimed at luring voters ahead of the assembly polls," he said.
Pandey claimed that the form doesn't seek any Aadhaar number or bank account details.
"It means they are collecting voters' details on the pretext of a proposed scheme, which is also a violation of the Act," he said.
He said that the launch of JMM Samman Yojana was decided by the party earlier.
"But, we did not want to implement it without permission from the Election Commission," he said.
Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday directed all deputy commissioners to lodge cases against those violating Election Commission of India norms, days after opposition BJP announced its 'Gogo Didi' scheme for women ahead of the assembly polls.
The direction came after the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) alleged that the BJP was getting forms for its proposed scheme filled up by women, promising financial assistance of Rs 2,100 per month, "in violation of ECI norms that prohibit political parties to enrol voters for post-election beneficiary oriented schemes".