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Journalism of Courage
AHMEDABAD, Sept 6: Though election posters and handbills depicting the Kargil conflict were seized, no further action is needed, Chief Electoral Officer Balwant Singh said on Monday.
He said this was because the Chief Election Commission8217;s views in this case were more in the nature of advice to political parties than a directive or set of instructions. He said the CEC was already consulted in this case.
Other complaints about breach of model code of conduct and poll irregularities have not been found so serious as to warrant immediate intervention.
In the case of two sets of anti-minority and anti-Sonia pamphlets published by the Sangh Parivar, Singh said the matter was referred to the police where legal advice indicated that publication of such pamphlets did not attract any penal action under law and therefore, the commission would not be required to take any action on this.
About a complaint filed by the Congress, he said the party may seek redress in high court. The Congress had brought to the commission8217;s notice election advertisements in which the image of Lord Krishna was used to appeal to readers8217; sensibilities. This was sought to be objected to on the ground that religion was being brought into campaigning.
Singh said no remedy was available with the Commission on this violation as it did not specifically amount to asking people to vote for any particular party. However, he agreed it amounted to corrupt poll practice because of its timing.
He said the affected party, if it so desired, was free to file an election petition in Gujarat High Court bringing to the court8217;s notice this incident as a corrupt practice. This is possible only after completion of the poll process.
Congress vice-president and spokesman Hasmukh Patel does not agree with the views expressed by the CEO. According to Patel, in the case of printing of anti-Sonia pamphlets, action could certainly be taken against the printer and the organisation responsible for its publication.
Patel said the commission could look into the Krishna advertisements. 8220;It is very much under the commission8217;s purview and we have also approached the Chief Election Commission in this matter.8221; He also said the party would certainly move court.
The commission said the complaint lodged by the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP that film actor Dilip Kumar had tried to seek votes for Congress candidates in the name of religion was found not worth entertaining.
Singh said the commission officials had seen the videotape of the thespian8217;s speech time and again to find out anything objectionable. However, he said, the cassette did not show anything objectionable.
District collector V S Gadhvi said the collectorate had not received any directive from the State Election Commission for investigation into the distribution of anti-Sonia and anti-minority pamphlets in the district during election campaign.
