New Delhi, April 20:More than 700 citizens, including former bureaucrats, academics and activists, have approached the Election Commission of India alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct through a national address delivered on April 18.
In their complaint, the signatories argued that the speech, which targeted opposition parties, was broadcast on publicly funded platforms such as Doordarshan and All India Radio.
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They claim this amounted to using official machinery for political messaging during a sensitive electoral period.The controversy comes shortly after the government’s attempt to move forward with a plan linked to women’s reservation and delimitation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha.
The speech was seen by the complainants as part of a broader political response to that development.Citing provisions of the Model Code of Conduct, the group stated that such use of state-run media could give the ruling party an unfair advantage and disrupt the principle of a level playing field during elections.
Opposition parties including the Congress, CPI(M) and CPI have also raised similar concerns, calling for scrutiny of the speech.
The signatories have requested the Election Commission to examine the matter, take appropriate action if necessary, and ensure equal access to public broadcasting platforms for all political parties.
The Election Commission has yet to issue an official response.