New Delhi [India]: With BJP and Congress filing complaints against each other’s senior leaders over alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the Election Commission on Saturday sought responses from JP Nadda and Mallikarjun Kharge.
The Commission asked BJP president JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to comment on the complaint against star campaigners of the other party and attached the complaints in its communication to them.
While BJP had complained against Rahul Gandhi, Congress had complained to the Election Commission over some remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in their election speeches.
The Election Commission has sought formal responses from both the party presidents by 1 pm on Monday, November 18, 2024, while reminding them of EC’s earlier advisory to them dated May 22, 2024, during Lok Sabha Elections, to keep star campaigners and leaders under check so that public decorum is not flouted and MCC is followed in letter and spirit during the election campaign.
The Election Commission wrote to BJP President JP Nadda and asked him to comment on the complaint filed by the Congress against the BJP.
In its letter to Kharge, the poll panel said that the Commission is in receipt of a complaint dated November 11 from Bharatiya Janata Party alleging violation of provisions of Model Code of Conduct by Star Campaigners of INC during the canvassing of current elections to Legislative Assemblies of Jharkhand and Maharashtra and several bye-elections.
“I am directed to attach herewith a copy of the complaint dated 11.11.2024 made by Bharatiya Janata Party, a national recognized political party, referred to above with the direction to send your comments to the Commission latest by 1.00 PM on 18.11.2024 (Monday),” the letter said. .
The poll body send similar letter to JP Nadda.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had on November 11 lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the BJP wanted to “destroy the Constitution.”
“A delegation of the BJP met the Chief Election Commissioner…We told him that on 6th November, LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi tried to lie once again for Maharashtra elections he attempted to pit states against each other, he waved the Constitution and lied again that the BJP is about to destroy the Constitution,” Union minister and BJP leader Arjun Ram Meghwal had told reporters.
Congress had complained to the EC on November 13 against PM Modi and Amit Shah alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct.
Party leader Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, accused the two senior BJP leaders of “divisive, false, and malicious speeches” in Maharashtra and Jharkhand
“Our complaints to Election Commission against the PM and the Union home minister for their divisive, false, and malicious speeches given in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. We have asked EC to investigate BJP and its functionaries for their brazen electoral violations. We hope EC acts on these complaints with the urgency they require,” he wrote on X.
“In his statements, Narendra Modi levelled allegations against prominent leaders of the INC and former Prime Ministers namely Late Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Mr Modi alleged that the INC leaders were opposed to the SC, ST communities and Tribe and OBC,” Ramesh said in the letter.
“During his (Amit Shah) speech, Shah alleged that INC and its allies were against SC, ST and OBC, (b) promoting terrorism in the country,” he added.
The first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections has concluded with voting held in 43 of 81 assembly seats. Elections for the remaining 38 seats in Jharkhand and 288 seats in Maharashtra will take place on November 20. Votes will be counted on November 23.