The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued an advisory to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asking him to be cautious in his public utterances and take note of the poll body’s March 1 advisory for parties and star campaigners.
The ECI advisory comes following a Delhi High Court directive of December 21, which said that Mr. Gandhi’s speech in November 2023 calling the Prime Minister “pick-pocket” was not in good taste. The court had asked the poll body to decide the matter in eight weeks.
In its March 1 advisory, the ECI had warned political parties, specially star campaigners, to maintain decorum in public campaigning and refrain from making appeals on the basis of caste or communal politics, or make false statements without factual basis that could mislead voters. The ECI had warned that star campaigners and candidates who had received notices in the past would face stern action for repeated violations of the model code.
Mr. Gandhi is a star campaigner of the Congress party.
The Commission had on November 23, 2023 issued a notice to Mr. Gandhi for using the words “jebkatra” (pickpocket) and “pannauti” (jinx) against the Prime Minister during the poll campaign in Rajasthan.
Sources said that the ECI had advised the Congress leader to be more careful and cautious in his public utterances in future after “considering all facts in the matter related to certain remarks against Prime Minister as ‘jaibkatra’ (pickpocket) and ‘pannauti’ including High Court of Delhi order dated December 21, 2023, and Rahul Gandhi’s reply”.
