More than 700 civil society activists, former bureaucrats and academics have written to the Election Commission alleging violation of model code of conduct by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national address he delivered on women’s reservation on April 18.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner dated April 20, the activists demanded an inquiry into Mr. Modi’s address to the nation two days ago, claiming that it was a “clear and blatant” violation of the MCC.
PM's address violated Model Code of Conduct: CPI MP alleges in letter to CEC
The use of official government machinery and mass media by the Prime Minister, “for what amounted to electioneering and partisan propaganda” during the operation of the MCC, constituted its “serious breach” and such action provided an “undue advantage” to the party in power undermining the level playing field essential for free and fair elections, it said.
They said that the address was a clear violation of the MCC if it was not done with the EC’s prior permission and asked the poll body to immediately order the removal of the speech from all official records, government websites, and media platforms, and take other suitable deterrent action for the violation.
