New Delhi, Nov 18: The Congress and the BJP have requested an extension of seven more days from the Election Commission (EC) to respond to allegations of poll code violations lodged by each party against the other in Jharkhand and Maharashtra, sources confirmed on Monday.
This development follows complaints filed by both parties accusing each other’s leaders of violating the Model Code of Conduct during the ongoing Assembly elections. On Saturday, the Election Commission had directed the presidents of both the BJP and Congress to provide their responses to the complaints lodged against their respective party leaders.
The EC sent separate letters to BJP President J P Nadda and Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, asking them to comment on the allegations made by the opposing party. In an unusual move, the Election Commission exchanged the complaints between the two parties and formally sought their responses.
Initially, the Commission had set a deadline of 1 pm on Monday, November 18, for the two party presidents to provide their replies. However, both the Congress and BJP have now requested an extension of seven additional days to submit their formal responses to the poll panel.
The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of violating the poll code, while the BJP has filed a complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The Election Commission’s reminder to both parties emphasized the importance of adhering to the Model Code of Conduct, highlighting an advisory issued during the Lok Sabha elections that urged political parties to ensure that their star campaigners and leaders did not flout public decorum and complied with the guidelines during the election campaign.
Top leaders from both the Congress and the BJP are actively campaigning in Jharkhand and Maharashtra for the ongoing Assembly polls, which have sparked intense political activity across the two states.
The Election Commission’s handling of the complaints and the delay in responses underscore the heightened scrutiny of party activities during election season, particularly regarding potential violations of the model code, which aims to ensure fair and respectful campaigning.
