NEW DELHI: Fifteen days after PM Narendra Modi made a reference to airstrikes, the Election Commission is yet to decide if it was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The EC said it will soon decide the case and take appropriate action.
However, the EC’s grievance redressal portal shows that the complaint has been “resolved”. Now, the EC has sought an explanation from the returning officer concerned for the error.
“The status should have shown that the matter has been referred to Election Commission headquarters. But the entry reflected that the complaint as resolved ... it is being rectified,” explained an EC functionary.
Earlier, the commission had instructed political parties and leaders to refrain from making references to the armed forces during campaigning. However, many BJP leaders have referred to the armed forces in some or the other way. The PM while campaigning in Maharashtra had appealed to young voters in the name of soldiers and “martyrs” who died in the suicide attack in J&K’s Pulwama.
Thereafter, Opposition parties had complained to the Election Commission. Sources with the EC said that the commission has looked into the content and a final decision will be taken soon.EC officials on Tuesday said the commission is studying the whole transcript of the speech and many aspects are being looked into before arriving at a decision. It’s the reason it is taking so many days, added the officials.