The Election Commission on Friday revoked senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath’s star campaigner status for multiple model code violations.
The Commission has slammed Nath for using the word ‘item’ for a woman candidate and said that the usage of the word for a woman constitutes violation of the advisory issued by the commission. The Commission has further expressed its displeasure and said that despite being a leader of a political party, Nath is repeatedly violating the provisions of Model Code of Conduct and breaching the ethical and dignified behaviour.
The EC had pulled up Nath to not use words such as “item” to address a woman during campaigning for the bye-elections while the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.
Addressing an election meeting on Sunday for the November 3 bypoll in Gwalior’s Dabra town, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Imarti Devi, Nath had said the Congress candidate (Suresh Raje) was a “simple person” unlike his opponent who was an “item”.
Taking another complaint in consideration, where the Congress leader has spoken against current state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and referred to him as “mafia” and milawatkhor”, the Commission has said that its report confirms violation of model code of conduct.
If any campaign is done by Nath from now onwards, the entire expenditure will be borne by the candidate in whose constituency the campaign is being undertaken, the Election Commission ruled in its order.
The order further read that the Model Code of Conduct has evolved over several decades with the consensus of all the political parties to maintain level playing field as well as ethical and dignified behaviour during the campaigning before the elections.
{{/usCountry}}The order further read that the Model Code of Conduct has evolved over several decades with the consensus of all the political parties to maintain level playing field as well as ethical and dignified behaviour during the campaigning before the elections.
{{/usCountry}}Nath’s remark had triggered outrage, with BJP leaders, led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, staging protests against the Congress leader.