A day after the Congress accused the Election Commission of ‘inaction’, the party on Friday alleged that the Election Commission has done “nothing substantial and effective” to prevent paid news, violation of model code by social media and distribution of hate material.
“We hope and trust the EC would issue order promptly, since such issues can't be kept in limbo and allow the election period to be over, which would have serious ramifications on the conduct of fair poll,” Secretary of AICC legal Department KC Mittal said in a communication to CEC VS Sampath. It is the second communication by the AICC to the poll panel in recent days.The party had shot off the first one to the EC after Narendra Modi’s massive roadshow in Varanasi before filing of nomination in which it alleged that the ‘inaction by the Commission’ gave an opportunity to Modi and the BJP to flout the law which has serious consequences.
Drawing the EC’s attention towards “issues pending” before it that are “substantially affecting the ongoing electoral process”, the party said that it had, in two communications on March 10 and April 8, pointed out the “misuse of religion and religious places for seeking votes”.
“Sufficient evidence has been annexed. Such activities are not permissible in law and also violates the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), but it is being floated 24/7,” it said. Noting that social media is now covered under the MCC, the party alleged that there no mechanism to check and prevent posting of fake material and ads on social media, which is again effecting the fair poll.
It said that through its letter dated March 29, it had given given some instances of this but there is endless fake material on social media violating MCC. “Some action was taken by the Commission but nothing substantial and effective to prevent it has happened. Having brought social media within MCC it imposes a greater responsibility on the Election,” it said “Hate and malicious material is printed, published and distributed in public places all over the country to exploited public sentiments for votes. All the material was given personally on April 12 but no action seems to have been taken to remove and prevent distribution of such material,” Mittal said in the communication.