The Election Commission did not find any MCC violation after the Bengaluru-based Law and Policy Research Institute filed a complaint against the PM’s speech in Bihar.
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The Election Commission has given a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his seeking votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the name of Ram temple during a rally in Bihar’s Jamui on 4th April.
On Monday, Law and Policy Research Institute (LPRI), a Bengaluru-based group which had filed a complaint with the Election Commission in the case, said it received a response from the poll body saying that the prime minister did not violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in Jamui.
“PM Programme no any violation of MCC regarding issue found,” reads the response put out by the EC on the complaint.
Addressing an election rally on 4 April, Modi said: “Under our government, the 500-year-old dream of Ram temple was fulfilled. On the other hand, RJD and Congress had not left any stone unturned to stop the construction of Ram temple. Even today, they insult the Ram temple”.
Taking note of the remarks, LPRI filed a complaint with the EC on 11 April pointing out a violation of Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The rule clearly states that canvassing for votes in the name of religion is strictly prohibited. “By invoking the Ram Mandir, a religious site of significance to a particular community, Mr. Modi has attempted to polarise voters on religious grounds, which is not only unethical but also a violation of the law,” noted the complaint.
It further asserted that such statements have the potential to incite communal tension and disrupt the peaceful conduct of elections, thereby undermining the democratic process. “It is imperative that the Election Commission of India takes immediate action to address this matter and ensure that fair and unbiased elections are conducted in Bihar,” noted the complaint.
On 29 April, Alok Ranjan Gosh, special secretary of the Election Commission in Bihar, forwarded the complaint to the district election officer of Jamui requesting necessary action as per the law.
However, later the commission said that it had not found any violation of the MCC.
Reacting to the clean chit given to the prime minister, LPRI said that the election commission is working as an “extended arm of the BJP and Narendra Modi”.
