EC issues notices to Shah, Rahul, Lalu over model code violations

The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday night issued show-cause notices to BJP president Amit Shah, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

It made the move after holding they had “prima facie” violated the Model Code of Conduct in force for the Bihar Assembly polls. The poll panel said Shah had prima facie violated the model code with his remark that if his party loses Bihar, crackers will go off in Pakistan.

“...the Commission is, prima facie, of the opinion that by making the statement which has the potential of disturbing harmony and aggravating the existing differences between social and religious communities, you have violated provision of the Model Code of Conduct,” the notice said.

The poll panel reminded Shah that a provision of the model code provides that no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities or religious and linguistic communities.

Shah had told an election rally at Raxaul on India-Nepal border in East Champaran district on Thursday that if the BJP loses in Bihar, Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan.

He is said to have repeated the same in another rally at Bettiah, headquarters of West Champaran district on Thursday itself.

“Friends, remember if by mistake BJP loses here and Nitish-Lalu win, the results will be announced in Patna but firecrackers will go off in Pakistan,” the EC notice said, quoting from Shah’s speech.