Congress moves Supreme Court over alleged poll code violations by PM Modi, Amit Shah

The Congress party has approached the Supreme Court seeking action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s president Amit Shah alleging they violated the model code of conduct during election rallies.

Congress lawmaker from Assam’s Silchar Sushmita Dev requested the top court to direct the Election Commission to decide on complaints against PM Modi and Amit Shah within 24 hours. Dev said in her petition that the Prime Minister and Shah made “hate speeches” at campaign rallies. They also talked about the operations by the armed forces in public meeting despite the poll body’s ban, she said.

During the hearing, lawyer and senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi mentioned a petition on the “inaction” by the poll panel over violations of the model code of conduct.

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Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Singhvi who committed the poll violations to which he replied “PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.”

The Chief Justice then asked Singhvi why he didn’t say it clearly. “Will hear you last,” CJI Gogoi said.

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The opposition has complained to the EC alleging that the PM had “brazenly” violated the poll code by invoking armed forces repeatedly during his poll rallies and demanded that a campaign ban be imposed on him for some time.

The Congress has said it has given 37 representations to the EC of which 10 can be categorised under “hate speeches, virulent, divisive, polarising” by Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.

After phase three of Lok Sabha polls, Congress had gone to the poll panel alleging that PM Modi violated the poll code by making a political speech outside a booth in Ahmedabad where he cast his vote.

Congress had alleged that Modi had made “detailed plans to undertake, in defiance of electoral laws, a roadshow before and after he voted in Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat on polling day”. A BJP spokesperson said it was not a roadshow “since the PM did not wave at the crowds”.