Khurshid had dared the Election Commission to act against him over his comment on Muslim sub-quota.
The Election Commission said that it is shocked that Khurshid chose to be defiant and aggressive.
In its letter, EC SY Quraishi wrote, "The Commission is approaching you with serious dismay and a deep sense of urgency that requires your kind intervention in the midst of the poll process in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Union Minister for Law and Justice and Minority Affairs, Salman Khurshid, who is also a leader of the Indian National Congress Party, had made certain statements and announcements during the course of his campaign in the state. One of them was to the effect that the Congress would provide a quota of 9 per cent reservation to the minorities within the existing quota of 27 per cent for OBCs.
He also indicated that Muslims having a sizeable population will be benefited from this move. Following complaints received from a political party that such announcement was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Commission, after due notice and hearing, passed an order on February, 9, 2012 that Khurshid had indeed violated the MCC. The full Commission hence deliberated on the matter in an emergency meeting, this afternoon, while being concerned about the fact that Khurshid’s action could vitiate free and fair poll in Uttar Pradesh."
In a not-so-veiled attempt, Khurshid took on the Election Commission in his stronghold of Farrukhabad.
"I don't have permission to talk about the rights of minorities. I was attacked for promising them their rights. They can hang me for standing up for the minorities," said the Congress leader.
BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj hit out at Khurshid saying it was unfortunate that a low minister was undermining the authority of a constitutional body.
"It is really unfortunate that of all the people, the Law Minister of the country, Mr Salman Khurshid, is not only challenging the authority of the Election Commission of India but also undermining its authority," said Punj.
Khurshid, while campaigning for his wife Louise, a Congress candidate from Farrukhabad Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had promised the electorate last month that the party would increase the sub-quota for minorities to nine per cent, out of the 27 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.
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