‘No such direction’: EC denies any role in Income Tax notice to Sharad Pawar

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday denied that it had anything to do with the Income Tax notice issued to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar. The NCP leader had said on Tuesday that the notice was sent at the behest of the Commission.

“In some sections of media, it has been reported that Income Tax notice issued to Sharad Pawar, NCP Member of Parliament, on directions of Election Commission. ECI has not issued any such direction to CBDT to issue notice to Sharad Pawar, the Election Commission said, according to ANI.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Pawar had said the Income Tax department has sought his “clarification and explanation” on some poll affidavits furnished by him. “I got the notice yesterday…We are happy that they (the Centre) love us from among all the members…The notice was served by Income Tax after the Election Commission asked (it) to…We will reply to the notice,” he said, reports PTI.

He was responding to a query on reports that his daughter and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray had received similar notices from the Income Tax department.