New Delhi, Nov 08: Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh has said people who make communal speeches should be prosecuted and the commission would enforce the law "rigidly" in Gujarat in the coming assembly elections.
"Absolutely, people who use that sort of language should be prosecuted. We have to hasten that process", he said in the "court martial" programme for a news TV Show. He was replying to a question on how the commission would ensure trouble free elections in Gujarat when there were press interviews and statements by leaders on communal lines.

Asked specifically whether he was talking about people like VHP leader Praveen Togadia, the CEC said, "It could be anybody. Whoever it is".
To a question whether the commission could use its authority to send out a message to contain such speeches and statements, he said "yes. We will do that."
Stating that the commission had been routinely doing that in every election, Lyngdoh said that the commission would very closely monitor all election speeches and enforce the law "rigidly".


Bureau Report