EC writes to Kharge, Nadda regarding senior politicians' poll code violation
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New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) has written to the Congress and BJP presidents, Mallikarjun Kharge and JP Nadda, respectively, in response to charges of ethical conduct violations filed against each other.
The EC also notified the top leadership of the parties of their acts of omission and commission during the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly electoral campaigns and requested a response.
The EC attached the complaints to its communication to Kharge and Nadda, asking them to reply to the accusations against celebrity campaigners from the opposing party, the New Indian Express reported.
The Congress had complained to the poll commission over some statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during their addresses, while the BJP had lodged a complaint against Rahul Gandhi.
In order to ensure that "public decorum is not flouted and the model code of conduct is followed in letter and spirit" during election campaigns, the poll panel has asked both party presidents to provide formal responses by 1 pm on Monday.
They are also reminded of the EC's previous advisory, which was issued during the Lok Sabha Elections on May 22, 2024, to keep prominent campaigners and leaders under control.
Nadda was ordered by the EC to respond to the Congress's complaint against the BJP.
In its letter to Kharge, the poll panel said, “It is in receipt of a complaint dated November 11 from BJP alleging violation of provisions of MCC by star campaigners of INC during the canvassing of current elections to legislative assemblies of Jharkhand and Maharashtra and several bye-elections.”
Nadda received a similar letter from the poll body. In response to Rahul Gandhi's assertion that the BJP sought to "destroy the Constitution," the BJP filed a complaint with the ECI on November 11. On November 13, the Congress complained to the EC against PM Modi and Amit Shah, claiming that they had violated the MCC.
In a post on the microblogging platform X, party leader Jairam Ramesh charged that the two top BJP leaders had made "divisive, false, and malicious speeches" in the states that were up for election.
“In his statements, Narendra Modi leveled allegations against prominent leaders of the INC and former Prime Ministers namely Late Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi,” Ramesh wrote.