Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora with Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra (Express File Photo: Amit Mehra)
The Supreme Court Tuesday sought response of the Election Commission on a plea alleging “blatant” violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah on their alleged hate speeches and using armed forces for “political propaganda”.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will be open to the poll watchdog to pass necessary orders in the matter. It will hear the matter again on Thursday.
The petition, filed by Congress MP Sushmita Dev, alleged that the poll body failed to act against the top BJP leaders despite “multiple complaints” lodged against them. The EC, meanwhile, told the two-judge bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna that it would meet later today to consider the complaints filed against the leaders.
The Indian Express reported Tuesday that the full Commission — comprising the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra — has not had a single deliberation since April 5 on the alleged violations by the Prime Minister.
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The Congress had filed its first complaint against Modi and Shah on April 5.
“It is in public domain that they have indulged in hate speeches, repeatedly used the armed forces for political propaganda, despite a clear prohibition on the same by the Respondent/ECI. Furthermore, the Prime Minister in blatant violation of the MCC held a rally on the day of polling in Gujarat on April 23rd, 2019 i.e. date of voting in the third phase of the election,” her plea stated.
The apex court had Monday listed her plea for today.
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