New Delhi, Dec 13: The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday night for “prima facie” violating election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels in Gujarat where the final phase of polls is being held Thursday.
It asked Rahul to respond to the notice by December 18 evening, failing which it will decide the matter without any reference to him. The counting of votes is also scheduled on that day.
The notice said the telecast of his interviews by TV channels fell within the definition of “election matter” under Section 126 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and their telecast before 48 hours of the hour fixed for conclusion of the poll amounted to violation of Section 126 (1) (b) of the Act.
The BJP had complained to the poll panel about the interviews. In its complaint the BJP alleged that Rahul Gandhi has turned “desperate” fearing defeat in the Gujarat polls that he “violated” the Model Code of Conduct by giving media interviews.
The Congress accused Chief Minister Vijay Ruapani and BJP leaders of threatening journalists for airing Rahul Gandhi’s interview and urged the Election Commission to act against them.
As per EC guidelines for the media TV channels can’t broadcast anything on elections after 5 pm on December 12.
The EC, in a statement Wednesday evening, had said that it has asked TV channels to stop airing interviews of Rahul as they violated election law and directed the Gujarat poll authorities to lodge an FIR against anyone infringing legal provisions. It said Rahul talked about the Gujarat Assembly elections on TV in which polling for the second phase will be held Thursday.
The statement said the EC has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat “to file FIR against those who have violated electoral law in phase two polling districts in Gujarat”.
“The TV channels which are violating the provisions of Section 126 (1)(b] by telecasting the said election matter in phase two districts in Gujarat have been directed to stop it,” it said.
The poll body said it had received reports and complaints that some of the TV channels in Gujarat have telecast the interview given by Rahul in which he had talked about the state elections. (PTI)
