The Election Commission has issued a notice to Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma over his remarks on sub-quota for minorities. Holding prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the commission has sought his reply by Monday evening.

The Commission, which examined the video recordings of Verma's speech at a rally in Farrukhabad in UP said, it is evident from the statements of Beni Prasad Verma that he was well aware of making such utterances, would violate the model code of conduct. Yet he deliberately and willfully did the same.