Congress accuses Election Commission of arbitrary use of power, Modi alleges violation of model code of conduct for Karnataka polls

New Delhi: The Congress has accused the Election Commission (EC) of violating the Constitution by “arbitrary” use of power and “lack of action” on the party’s complaints against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. model code of conduct during karnataka election campaign

Voting for the assembly in Karnataka on Wednesday.

In an eight-page letter to the Election Commission on Tuesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala cited alleged instances where PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda flouted the election code. had “brazenly and flagrantly violated”. Surjewala also shared the letter on Twitter.

In his letter to the Election Commission, Surjewala pointed out that the silent period for the election, during which no campaigning is allowed, began at 6 pm on Monday. Quoting a video allegedly posted by the BJP on its official YouTube channel after 11 pm on Monday night, he said: “Last night after 11 pm, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the public through a video message , in which he appealed to the voters of Karnataka to vote for Karnataka. BJP and all its candidates contesting in Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023.”

The letter claimed that the video was uploaded on the BJP’s YouTube channel handle after midnight on Monday, but was posted on the Prime Minister’s official Twitter account on Tuesday morning.

Earlier on Monday, the Congress responded to the Election Commission’s show cause notice to party’s Karnataka unit president DK Shivakumar for Congress’s “40% commission”. Governmentcampaigning, reportedly targeting the BJP ahead of the assembly elections.

The campaign is believed to be an indication of the “40% commission” row that erupted after the death of Belagavi-based contractor Santosh Patil in April last year.

In an alleged suicide note, Patil accused former state minister and BJP leader KS Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for a government project.

In a 15-page reply to the Election Commission on the show cause notice, which the Congress also shared with the media, party MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi cited 11 alleged instances of “serious violations” of the model code of conduct. BJP including three alleged violations by the Prime Minister.

Singhvi said it was “unfair” to expect the Election Commission to respond to their show cause within 24 hours when DK Shivakumar and other party leaders were busy campaigning.

He alleged that the Election Commission takes such quick action only in the case of the opposition.


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‘Ignore heinous and shocking cases of hate speech’

In his reply to the Election Commission’s show cause notice, Singhvi said, “The ECI can never allow itself to be seen as an organization which, on the one hand, condones gross violations committed by the ruling party and its high office-bearers.” turns a blind eye to it, and on the other hand, as far as members of the opposition, including the Congress, are concerned, are unfortunately seen tilting at the windmills,” he said.

Singhvi alleged that the ECI was violating Articles 14 (equality before law and equal protection of law) and 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution by “arbitrariness in administrative action”.

“Narendra Modi, in his campaign speeches, has made extensive and blatantly false remarks against Congress for supporting terrorists, made completely false allegations of 85% commission against Congress, and misappropriation of funds for development Has…” Singhvi claimed in his response to the Election Commission.

The Congress has also alleged that the BJP members accused the opposition party of supporting the banned terrorist organization Popular Front of India (PFI) and threatened the state with communal riots.

It claimed that the allegations were “not only false but extremely dangerous, clearly designed to polarize the vote base and inflame passions to an apparent end”.

The party said: “If the ECI chooses to ignore the heinous and shocking instances of hate speech, direct and unprovoked religious invocation for seeking votes…deliberately designed to influence the peaceful and fair conduct of elections, So it cannot adopt a different standard in a case where a genuine concern has been expressed by another party.

(Editing by Anumeha Saxena)


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