EC sends notice to Nadda for plaint against Modi
Campaign speeches made by those holding high positions have more serious consequences, says poll body; similar notice served on Kharge over complaints related both to him and Rahul Gandhi
In a rst, the Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice for violation of the Model Code of Conduct based on complaints against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, taking a circuitous route, the notice was sent on Thursday to BJP president J.P. Nadda, not Mr. Modi.
In fact, the notice does not mention the name of the Prime Minister at all. The complaints attached to the notice, however, are those of the Congress against Mr. Modi’s “malicious election speech delivered at Banswara (Rajasthan)”, along with complaints from other parties, such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
A similar notice was served on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, concerning complaints related both to him and party leader Rahul Gandhi.
The poll body sought responses from both parties by 11 a.m. on April 29.
EC ocials said this is the rst time in recent history that the panel has taken cognisance of a complaint against a Prime Minister.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the EC had given a clean chit to Mr. Modi on complaints lodged by the Opposition parties.
What is also unprecedented is the poll body issuing Thursday’s notices to the respective party presidents instead of directly to the individuals concerned.
‘Set high standards’
In its notice to the BJP president, the EC asked Mr. Nadda to bring to the notice of all the star campaigners of the party to “set high standards of political discourse and observe provisions of Model Code of Conduct in letter and spirit”.
The Commission said it has taken a view that while individual star campaigners will continue to remain responsible for speeches made by them, it will address party chiefs “on a case-to-case basis”. Campaign speeches made by those holding high positions have more serious consequences, the EC said.