Sify

New Delhi, Feb 16: After a split opinion, the Election Commission today served a notice on Congress President Sonia Gandhi on a disqualification complaint against her for receiving a Belgian honour, triggering a political row. 

The three-member Commission, headed by Chief Election Commission N Gopalaswamy, asked her to respond within three weeks.

The Commission also asked the External Affairs Ministry to furnish details within three weeks about Gandhi receiving the 'Order of Leopold' from the Belgium government in November 2006.

This followed a complaint from an advocate from Kerala seeking her disqualification from the Lok Sabha alleging it amounted to owing allegiance to the Constitution of that country.

The three-member Commission, which takes decisions by consensus, could not come to a conclusion on the issue earlier because of differences among them on whether to issue notice to Gandhi or not.

Gandhi was conferred the `Order of Leopold\', the second highest civilian award in Belgium, and an honorary doctorate by the Belgian government during her visit to the European country in November, 2006.