New Delhi: Cracking the whip, the Election Commission Monday banned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP leader Mayawati, SP leader Azam Khan and Union minister Maneka Gandhi from campaigning for their hate comments.
While Adityanath and Khan have been barred for 72 hours, Mayawati and Gandhi face a 48-hour ban. The nationwide ban comes into force at 6 am Tuesday, the poll panel said.
According to EC officials, this is the first time an all-India ban has been imposed on politicians to campaign in elections and also it is for the first time such a restriction has been put against a Chief Minister.
While Adityanath, Mayawati and Gandhi were found guilty of violating the model code, EC said Khan, who also faced a state-specific ban during 2014 polls, not only violated the poll code, he also disregarded its directive asking politicians to desist from “deeds or actions construed as being repugnant to the honour and dignity of women”.
“…the Commission has observed that Azam Khan has not changed his way of campaigning and he is still indulging in using very objectionable language in election campaigning,” the order said “reprimanding him”.
In its order on Adityanath, the panel said it “strongly condemns” the impugned statement made by the UP Chief Minister and “censured” him for “misconduct”.
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