The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a notice to Bharat Rashtra Samithi president and former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) seeking an explanation for his alleged derogatory comments against Congress leaders during a press conference at Siricilla on April 5. The Commission said it prima facie thinks KCR had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and advisory/instructions of the Commission and sought his explanation by 11am on Thursday.
In a letter to KCR, Election Commission principal secretary Avinash Kumar said, “In the event of no response from your side within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter and the Election Commission will take appropriate action or decision in the matter without making any further reference to you.”
Kumar said the Commission had received a complaint from Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee senior vice-president G Niranjan on April 6 stating that KCR had made certain “vulgar, derogatory and objectionable” comments against the Congress leaders.
The Commission, in turn, wrote to the state chief electoral officer (CEO) on April 9, seeking a factual report. Accordingly, the CEO submitted the report on April 10, along with the report from district election officer, Rajanna Siricilla district.
According to Kumar, the factual report sent by the CEO to the Commission revealed that KCR had used foul language against the Congress leaders.
{{/usCountry}}According to Kumar, the factual report sent by the CEO to the Commission revealed that KCR had used foul language against the Congress leaders.
{{/usCountry}}The report also quoted KCR threatening the Congress leaders.
The EC official said as per the model code of conduct, criticism of other political parties should be confined to their policies and programmes, past record and work and the leaders should refrain from making comments on private life, not connected with the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties.
Kumar said the Commission had warned KCR several times in the past including during the 2019 and 2023 elections. He reminded that KCR is not only the president of the BRS but also the former chief minister of Telangana and it is expected of him to follow the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and guidelines and advisory of the Commission.
“Any unverified and unsubstantiated claim without any proof or derogatory remarks made by you has the propensity to malign the image of the political party or candidates in opposition. In the present case, unverified allegations and derogatory remarks made by you pose a risk of maligning the image of the Opposition party/leader and disturb the level playing field and ongoing election process in Telangana,” Kumar said in the letter.