EC reprimands Lalu, warns him not to repeat casteist remark

The Election Commission on Thursday issued a warning to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav against making casteist remarks during campaign for Bihar polls.

New Delhi/Patna: The Election Commission on Thursday issued a warning to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav against making casteist remarks during campaign for Bihar Assembly Elections.

The Commission told Lalu today that “explanations furnished by you in support of justifying your statements (have) not (been) found convincing by the Commission”.

“(The) Commission cautions you to abide by provisions of MCC (model code of conduct) and be more careful in public utterances during election campaigns in future,” the poll body said.

Lalu was earlier this month issued a notice by the Election Commission in connection with the FIR registered against him for violation of the poll code, and given time till October 6 to file the reply.

The FIR was lodged against Lalu last month for allegedly making casteist remarks, which the Election Commission had found to be violative of election laws.

Launching his campaign from Raghopur in favour of his younger son Tejaswi Yadav, the RJD supremo had described the Assembly Election as a direct fight between "the backward castes and forward castes" and gave a call to Yadavs and other backward castes to rally behind the secular alliance to defeat the BJP-led NDA.

(With Agency inputs)