EC gives clean chit to Modi for 'dedicate votes to Balakot' remark

New Delhi, May 01: The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday gave a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his speech in Maharashtra's Latur, where he asked people to dedicate their votes for Pulwama martyrs and the Balakot airstrikes. The poll body said that there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The commission said that after having examined "in detail in accordance with the extant advisories, provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and after examination of the complete transcript of the speech of 11 pages," no such violation was found to have been made.

"The matter has been examined in detail in accordance with the extant advisories, provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and after examination of complete transcript of speech of 11 pages as per the certified copy sent by the Returning Officer, 40 Osmanabad parliamentary constituency. Commission is of the considered view that in this matter no such violation of the extant advisories/provisions is attracted," the EC said.

Addressing a rally in Ausa in Maharashtra's Latur on April 9, Modi said, "Can your first vote be dedicated to those who carried out the air strike."

"I want to tell the first-time voters: can your first vote be dedicated to the veer jawans (valiant soldiers) who carried out the air strike in Pakistan. Can your first vote be dedicated to the veer shaheed (brave martyrs) of Pulwama (terror attack)," Modi had said.

Local poll authorities in Maharashtra are learnt to have told the EC here that Modi's remarks are prima facie violative of its orders, asking parties against using the armed forces in their campaigns.

The EC had sought the report in the context of the EC advisory issued in March asking parties to desist from indulging in political propaganda involving actions of the armed forces.