Complaints of code violation pile up with E.C.

The Election Commission of India has the entire machinery of the country at its disposal, yet it has so far been able to complete enquiry into only less than a third of the complaints relating to violations of the Model Code of Conduct.

As on April 15, the E.C. had received 365 complaints of code violation from a range of organisations and its own officials. Of this, it has decided on the status of 109 complaints. Two complaints were cancelled after action was taken on these two cases. Hence, this takes the total number of cases decided to 111.

In seven cases, including one involving the use of the BJP’s slogan ‘Mein Hoon Chowkidar’ on tea cups served by Indian Railways, notices have been served. The E.C. ensured that the use of the tea cups stopped. One of the cases is on the release of the movie ‘PM Narendra Modi’, which several persons, including the Congress, objected on the grounds that it amounted to a proxy campaign. (The Supreme Court directed the E.C. to watch the movie before deciding on the issue though the E.C. temporarily stopped the release of the movie.) There are also minor complaints, including one relating to the sticking of posters on electrical and telephone pods in Kavaratti island (Lakshadweep), which are in the “notice served” category.

NaMo TV also figures in the list of complaints. The Returning Officer -1, Daman and Diu Parliamentary constituency, complained of the violation of the model code by the channel. The Deputy Chief Electoral Officer of the constituency wrote to the E.C. about the violation since action cannot be taken at his level. This is listed under “proposal to ECI” along with nine other similar issues.

As many as 97 cases relating to a variety of violations are yet to get past the initial scrutiny stage. On April 7, a complaint filed by an individual alleged: “Audience gathered at [the campaign meeting of] Shri Narendra Modi began leaving the ground voluntarily during his speech. Manipur Police was used to forcibly stop these people from leaving the meeting.”

The complaint elaborated that it had been submitted to “DEO Imphal West through NGRS. However, as the area of alleged violation falls under the jurisdiction of the DEO Imphal East, the matter has been forwarded to DEO Imphal East for necessary action.”

The case relating to Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh is also yet to go past the “initial scrutiny” stage. The Governor had praised the BJP while speaking to the press in Aligarh and wanted Modi back as Prime Minister. This complaint was forward via WhatsApp, and a screenshot of the WhatsApp message presents the details of the case. Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s address at the Stella Maris College in Chennai is also in this category.

Even as the process of recording complaints via the Cvigil app and other methods using technology go on, disposing of the cases without delay has not been the forte of the E.C, leading many to question its impartiality.