EC takes note of PM, Rahul poll 'violations'

The Election Commission on Wednesday issued notices to the party presidents of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in connection with complaints received by it regarding alleged model code of conduct violations by "star campaigners" of both the parties, namely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, respectively.

- GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR

The commission in almost identically worded letters sent to J.P. Nadda of BJP and Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress recalled how it had "reminded all political parties of the vital role which their respective star campaigners play in maintaining high standard of campaign discourse".

Noting that these "star campaigners" are "expected to contribute to a higher quality of discourse, inter alia, by way of providing an all-India perspective, which sometimes gets distorted in the heat of the contests,", the panel added that their speeches are judged at a higher threshold of compliance.

The Commission wrote to the party presidents that it was in receipt of representations from "various political parties, civil society organisations and individual entities" regarding MCC violations by their star campaigners and that it has taken the view that while these "star campaigners" would remain responsible for speeches made, the panel would address the party president or head on a "case-to-basis" in such complaints.