New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday directed the BJP and Congress to follow Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during ongoing Lok Elections-2024.
In separate letters addressed to BJP national president JP Nadda and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, ECI Senior Principal Secretary Narendra N. Butoli asked them to refrain their parties star campaigners from making any statement, which is prohibited in Clause (1) of general conduct of MCC providing that no party or candidate shall include in any activity which may aggravate existing difference or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic.
The ECI has also directed them to convey all-star campaigners not to make speeches and statements, which may divide the society and refrain from any campaigning methods and utterances along religious and communal lines. It also asked the two presidents to remain dutiful towards special responsibility of star campaigners and issue formal notes to them to maintain decorum in their utterances.
The ECI response comes in the wake of separate complaints received by it from the BJP and Congress on MCC violations.
