Act against PM for code breach in ‘silence period’: Congress to Election Commission

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday asked the Election Commission to act against PM Narendra Modi for violating the model code by issuing an appeal to Karnataka voters during the “silence period”, even as the party wondered what should it do to elicit a response from the poll watchdog on campaign violations by the governing BJP.

Meanwhile, AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi protested the EC letter to the party, on a complaint from BJP, over the use of “sovereignty” of Karnataka by Sonia Gandhi, wondering what was wrong with the word, while accusing BJP and the ECI of “tilting at the windmills”.

In a complaint to the chief election commissioner over video appeals by the PM, Congress general secretary incharge of Karnataka Randeep Surjewala asked the commission whether it will remain a “mute and helpless spectator” or fulfil its constitutional duty and act against the PM. He tweeted, “Do the laws apply to the PM or not, and if the ECI has the willingness to enforce such mandate? Truly, a litmus test for ECI.”

Objecting to the comments by senior BJP leaders including party president J P Nadda and home minister Amit Shah during the poll campaign, Congress said they consider themselves above the law and the Constitution, and think that the ECI is too weak to act against them.

“If PM flouts electoral laws and code of conduct for elections with impunity...if PM flouts the ‘silence period’ ...if PM attempts to influence voters for electoral gains during the prohibited period, should the ECI remain a mute and helpless spectator or act on its constitutional duty,” Surjewala tweeted.