The Election Commission of India criticizes BJP and Congress, stating that their justifications for statements made during the election campaign are ‘unacceptable.’

On Wednesday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) took a firm stance by sending directives to the BJP’s national president JP Nadda and the Congress party’s chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The ECI emphasized the importance of ensuring that their respective party’s star campaigners strictly adhere to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) throughout their election campaigns.

In communications addressed separately to Nadda and Kharge, the ECI voiced its concerns about the pattern and narrative of the statements made by these star campaigners, pointing out that such utterances could have damaging implications that extend beyond the MCC period.

The Commission highlighted that exploiting technical loopholes or overly interpreting the statements of rival parties does not absolve campaigners from the fundamental duty of ensuring their messages are constructive and do not degrade the quality of electoral discourse.

The ECI reminded both parties that elections are an opportunity for political entities to vie for victory and showcase their ideals to the electorate, setting an example and fostering hope. According to the ECI, this aspect is a valuable part of India’s electoral democracy and should be upheld by all, including the parties in question.

Furthermore, the ECI found the defenses put forward by both parties regarding the controversial statements made by their star campaigners to be indefensible.

Specifically, the ECI instructed Kharge to ensure that his campaigners refrain from making misleading claims about the potential abolition of the Constitution of India. Similarly, Nadda was directed to advise his party’s campaigners against delivering speeches that could be interpreted as religious or communal.