In a first, EC notes poll-code violation complaint against a PM; seeks BJP response

In a first, the Election Commission (EC) has taken cognisance of a model code violation allegation against a prime minister. On Thursday (April 25), the EC asked the BJP to respond to complaints filed by Opposition parties accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of delivering a divisive and defamatory speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara.

At the same time, however, the poll panel has asked the Congress to respond to complaints filed by the BJP against its president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding their respective remarks.

EC letter to Nadda

In a letter addressed to BJP president JP Nadda, the EC has asked him to respond by Monday (April 29) to complaints filed by the Congress, CPI, and CPI(ML) regarding the remarks made by Modi in Banswara on April 21.

The poll panel has also asked Nadda to ensure that all the star campaigners of the party “set high standards of political discourse and observe provisions of model code of conduct in letter and spirit”.

Officials said this is the first time that the panel has taken cognisance of a complaint against any prime minister. The EC has invoked provisions of the Representation of the People Act to hold party presidents as the first step to rein in star campaigners.

Kharge gets letter too

It wrote a similarly-worded letter separately to Congress president Kharge with regard to allegations levelled by the BJP against him and Gandhi.

The EC’s respective letters to the two party presidents did not directly name either Modi, Rahul, or Kharge, but copies of the representations it received were attached to the respective letters and those contained details of allegations against the three leaders.

Congress complaint

In its complaint to the EC, the Congress said Modi had alleged in his speech that the Congress wanted to redistribute the wealth of the people to Muslims and that the Opposition party would not even spare the “mangalsutra” of married women.

The BJP, on the other hand, had written to the EC that Rahul levelled mala-fide and utterly sinister allegations against Modi during a speech in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

It also accused Kharge of violating the model code by claiming that he was not invited to the Ram temple consecration ceremony due to discrimination against SCs and STs.

(With agency inputs)