Following the speech, the Election Commission had taken cognizance of Prime Minister’s remarks where he mentioned Balakot air strikes and Pulwama terror attack.
Election Commission of India (ECI). (File Photo: IANS)
According to the sources in Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer’s office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to the Balakot airstrikes, carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF), prima facie amount to the violation of the directives laid down by the Election Commission of India as the model code of conduct is in force.
PM Modi was addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Latur on April 9 when he, specifically addressing the first time voters, asked, “Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike?
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“I want to tell the first-time voters can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans who carried out the air strike in Pakistan. Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed of Pulwama,” PM Modi had said.
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Following the speech, the Election Commission had taken cognizance of Prime Minister’s remarks where he mentioned Balakot air strikes and Pulwama terror attack. The poll body had asked the Maharashtra state poll officials for a report and submit the same at the earliest.
Simply put, PM Modi’s “appeal” to the first time voters is a violation of the Election Commission’s instructions prohibiting the use of armed forces for political gains, the Osmanabad District Election Officer (DEO) is learnt to have said in his report submitted to the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
If the Election Commission concurs with the observation of the Osmanabad DEO, then the Prime Minister would be, for the first time, asked to submit an explanation pertaining to their mentioning the armed forces in the stated capacity for a prima facie violation of the model code of conduct in an election after assuming the post.
A decision is expected this week.
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