TMC MP Files Complaint Against PM Modi for Alleged Election Code Violation in Andhra Pradesh
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating the election Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during his recent visit to Andhra Pradesh. Gokhale alleged that the Prime Minister used an Indian Air Force helicopter to attend an election rally in the state’s Palnadu region, specifically in the Assembly Constituency of 96-Chilakaluripet. Highlighting the gravity of the accusation, Gokhale referenced a past precedent where such an act led to disqualification, drawing parallels to Indira Gandhi’s disqualification in 1975 for a similar breach.
The complaint was spurred by visuals and reports of PM Modi attending a public meeting alongside Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan at Boppudi village, near Chilakaluripet. Gokhale took to social media to share his concerns and the formal complaint filed with the ECI, questioning the use of state machinery for campaign purposes and demanding transparency if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had indeed paid for the helicopter rental. He invoked the Election Commission’s strict stance on adhering to the MCC, as announced at the outset of the election schedule.
The MCC serves as a set of guidelines established by the ECI to ensure fair play and regulate political parties’ and candidates’ conduct before elections. Despite its lack of independent legal enforceability, certain aspects of the MCC can be upheld through provisions in other significant laws. The ECI, vested with the authority under paragraph 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968, can take stringent actions against violations, including suspension or revocation of a party’s recognition. The unfolding scenario poses a potential for probing and consequential action regarding the allegations against PM Modi.
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