The Election Commission has given a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in two more complaints of alleged poll violations, sources aware of the development said on Monday.
The Congress had alleged that he held a “roadshow” in Ahmedabad on April 23, the day of polling in Gujarat. The sources said the Election Commission concluded that Modi did not violate the model code and the election law.
They said that the Election Commission has also cleared Modi for his April 9 speech at Chitradurga in Karnataka where he had reportedly asked new voters to dedicate their vote for the heroes of the Balakot airstrike.
On the same day, Modi had made a similar appeal in Ausa in Latur district of Maharashtra. The Election Commission had given a clean chit to him in that case as well, but one of the election commissioners had given a dissenting view in the matter.
Though the Election Commission has so far not made the two decisions public, with these decisions, Modi has been given a clean chit in eight complaints.
The poll authorities in Gujarat are learnt to have maintained that, prima facie, no violation was found.
The Congress had moved the Election Commission, alleging that Modi took out a “roadshow” after casting his vote and made political remarks in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
After casting his vote in Ahmedabad, Modi walked some distance from the polling booth and interacted briefly with mediapersons.
The Election Commission on Monday is also learnt to have cleared Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s ‘gaushala’ remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying no violation was established.
In Farrukhabad, Khurshid had recently challenged Adityanath for a debate. “It will be better if it takes place in a gaushala to find out if the cow is with him or me,” the lawyer-politician had reportedly said.
The BJP had moved the Election Commission with a complaint.
Earlier, the Election Commission had cleared six speeches of Modi, two of Shah and one of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.
Gandhi had been issued a show-cause notice for his Madhya Pradesh speech in which he had reportedly said that the Modi government has enacted a new law that allows tribals to be shot.
On March 19, the Election Commission had issued an advisory asking parties not to invoke the armed forces in their political campaign.
The Election Commission has now submitted a report to the Supreme Court of the cases related to Modi and Shah that it has disposed off. Alleging delay on the Election Commission’s part, the Congress had moved the top court for a remedy. The matter would come up for hearing on Wednesday.
