Bengaluru: The Election Commission has directed the state government not to hold any progress review meetings till May 23.

State election commissioner Sanjeev Kumar sent a letter to Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar in this regard.

According to the sources, the commission informed the government of Karnataka that holding the progress review meeting when the Model Code of Conduct is in effect is illegal and asked all the officers to stay away from carrying out any such meetings.

The EC direction come amid reports that ministers are holding progress review meetings at their respective department and district level.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy appealed the commission to relax norms for taking up the drought relief works. In a letter, he requested the commission that as the state is reeling under severe drought, the model code of conduct must be relaxed to take up the drought relief, and water supply related works.