In reply to EC, Niti Aayog justifies sharing information with PMO

NEW DELHI: Niti Aayog has written to the Election Commission justifying sharing of information and data on certain districts purportedly at the request of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). As per reports published earlier by a news website, Niti Aayog had sought details of demographic profile and places of interest from district administrations regarding three places — Wardha, Latur and Gondia — ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s visits there for poll campaigning.
This prompted Congress to approach the EC complaining against alleged misuse of official/government machinery by the PM for electioneering work. The EC, acting on the complaint, wrote to Niti Aayog and sought its comments. TOI has learnt that the policy think-tank submitted its response to the commission dismissing the allegations made by Congress and justifying sharing the information sought by the PMO.
The EC will decide on the Congress complaint after examining the Aayog’s comments. Congress’s complaint to the EC had cited a news report published on April 10 claiming that a Niti Aayog official had written to collectors of three districts in Maharashtra ahead of Modi’s rallies there. On March 31, the collector of Gondia district, Kadambari Balkawad, sent a note to the Aayog with the subject line “write up/information for Gondia district for Prime Minister’s Office”.
The detailed report contained a brief history of Gondia, basic statistics and demographic profile, among other pieces of information. A profile of Latur sent by the collector described the history of the place and prominent religious and tourist spots. A similar profile of Wardha was also prepared. Modi campaigned in Wardha on April 1, in Gondia on April 3 and in Latur on April 9. As per the complaint, similar instructions were issued to government officers in all Union Territories seeking information on local culture, history and heroes, among others, of the areas which the PM was about to visit, the opposition party’s complaint said.