700 leaders, activists lodge complaint with ECI over MCC violation in PM Modi's address to the nation

New Delhi: Around 700 leaders, activists and former bureaucrats on Monday approached the Election Commission demanding an inquiry into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation two days ago attacking the Opposition parties over 33% women’s quota, claiming that it was a “clear and blatant” violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The complaint said 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 provides an “undue advantage” to the party in power and undermines the level playing field essential for free and fair elections.

They said if the address was not done with the EC’s prior permission and constitutes a violation of the MCC, the poll body should immediately order the removal of this speech from all official records, government websites, and media platforms, and take other suitable deterrent action for the violation.

The complaint, citing Section VII of the MCC on party in power, was signed by 714 people, including Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, former bureaucrats Najeeb Jung and MG Devasahayam, academicians Zoya Hasan, musician T M Krishna, writer K Satchidanandan and activists Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander and Yogendra Yadav.

They said the address was broadcast live on official government mass media platforms like Doordarshan, Sansad TV and All India Radio, which are funded by the public exchequer.

Maintaining that it was a violation of MCC, they asked the EC to immediately initiate an inquiry into the contents and manner of the address and examine the transcript. They demanded necessary action against the violation so as to uphold the sanctity of the electoral process and ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates

“If the said address to the nation was delivered with the prior permission of the Election Commission, then equal time on the national media should be provided to other parties to present their points of view,” it said.