K’taka Elections: ECI Issues Notices To Congress & BJP Over Model Code Violation

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sent notices to both the Congress and the BJP after receiving complaints from each other on the other’s use of abusive language during campaigning in Karnataka, which is going to polls on May 10.

According to a complaint made by Congressman Randeep Singh Surjewala, the BJP placed an advertisement in a prestigious English publication making a number of assertions that the party believes are unfounded. This led to the state BJP chairman receiving a notice.

The ECI has given the BJP until 8 PM tomorrow to back up the claims made in the commercial with verifiable and traceable facts. The saffron party has also been asked to explain why no action should be taken against it for violating the Model Code of Conduct under relevant legal provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the ECI in its notice to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge sought clarification and amendment in a social media post in which he used the word “sovereignty” in reference to the state of Karnataka.

The notice was sent on the basis of a complaint received today from BJP leaders Bhupender Yadav, Dr Jitendra Singh, Tarun Chugh, Anil Baluni and Om Pathak over the May 6 tweet, which read: “CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas: Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka’s reputation, sovereignty or integrity.”