Decision on politicians invoking armed forces in campaigning soon: EC sources

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New Delhi: The Election Commission will "soon" take a decision on complaints regarding political leaders invoking armed forces in campaigns, highly-placed sources said Wednesday.

While the commission had asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to be careful in his utterances in future on his "Modi ji ki sena" remarks, it is examining reports on comments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on the armed forces.

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was also asked to be careful in future for his "Modi ji ki sena" remarks.

The EC had sought reports on Modi and Shah in the context of its advisory issued last month asking parties to desist from indulging in political propaganda involving actions of the armed forces.

"...Parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence forces," the commission said on March 19.

"Decision will be taken soon. The commission is examining the matter," highly-placed sources said.

On Tuesday, Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kumar, responding to a question on Shah's reported remarks on 'Modi ji ki vayu sena' made in West Bengal on Monday, had said, "details have to be collected which will come in a day or two". 
Responding to a volley of questions on 'delay' on the part of the commission in finalising its response on the prime minister's remarks in Latur, Maharashtra on April 9 urging young voters to cast ballot in the name of heroes of Balakot air strike, Chandra Bhushan Kumar had said, before taking a decision, the EC looks into the issue in its "entirety".

Initially, he said, district authorities had sent only the relevant paragraph of the PM's speech. "The officials there are good in English and Marathi. But Hindi is an issue. When we demanded, a certified transcript was sent to us on April 16. The matter is (now) under examination," he said.

Asked why in some cases the EC has taken decisions immediately and why was it delaying in other matters, another Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena said the EC takes decision after looking into various aspects such as model code of conduct, legal angle.

Kumar said every speech is different and is to be considered in different contexts.

"It is not that the work has stopped," he said, adding that poll officials are also busy preparing for elections and holding them smoothly.
"As and when a decision is taken, it will be known to you," he said.

Responding to a question on complaint against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his 'chowkidar chor hai' jibe against Modi, he said transcripts of his two media interactions have been obtained and it is under the consideration of the commission