In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has shifted its approach by issuing notices to political parties, directing them to respond to alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by their star campaigners. The latest came after the ECI sent notices to BJP and Congress over alleged poll code violations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi.
This decision marks a departure from past practices, where notices were typically served directly to the candidate or star campaigner involved.
On Thursday, the ECI sent letters to BJP President J P Nadda and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, seeking explanations regarding complaints concerning alleged MCC breaches by their respective party members.
Notably, the notice to Nadda pertains to grievances raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Kharge’s notice encompasses complaints related to both him and party leader Rahul Gandhi.
During the ongoing campaign for the Lok Sabha election 2024, all MCC notices issued by the ECI have been directed to party leaders, including Dilip Ghosh of the BJP, Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and Supriya Shinate, and AAP leader Atishi.
The ECI has requested responses from Nadda and Kharge by 11 am on April 29, emphasising the need for their parties to maintain high standards of political discourse and adhere to MCC provisions.
While the Commission’s letter to Nadda does not explicitly name the Prime Minister, it references complaints filed by the Congress, the Communist Party of India, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) regarding Modi’s recent speech in Banswara, Rajasthan.
The complaints allege that Modi made divisive remarks targeting Muslims and accused the Congress party of potentially distributing the nation’s wealth among certain groups if elected.
Similarly, the notice to Kharge includes BJP complaints asserting that Rahul Gandhi made false allegations against the Prime Minister during a speech in Kottayam, Kerala, on April 18.
Moreover, the BJP alleges that Kharge, in comments to The Indian Express on the same day, suggested that President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the Ram Temple consecration ceremony due to her tribal background.
In its communication with Nadda and Kharge, the ECI highlighted the parties’ plenary power to nominate or withdraw star campaigners and emphasized the responsibility of individual star campaigners to uphold the MCC.
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