'Do The Laws Apply To PM Or Not': Congress Lodges EC Complaint Against Modi For Flouting 'Silence Period'

Congress party filed a complaint against PM Modi, asking the EC whether the rules apply to him. Earlier in the day, PM shared a video message for voters, a day after outdoor campaigning concluded.

Randeep Surjewala, AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge, took to Twitter. According to Randeep Surjewala, if the prime minister disregards electoral laws and the code of conduct with impunity, it openly defies ECI directives.

The Congress party filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India on Tuesday (May 9) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his video message to Karnataka voters on Twitter, despite the fact that outdoor campaigning for the state assembly election ended on Monday. AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala Randeep Surjewala stated that if the prime minister disregards electoral laws and the code of conduct with impunity, brazenly, it openly defies ECI directives.

Sharing the pictures of the official complaint filed by the party, the Congress leader in a lengthy Twitter post wrote: "If Prime Minister flouts electoral laws and code of conduct for elections with impunity, brazenly and in utter disregard of #ECI directives. If Prime Minister refuses to so much even recognise the authority of Law and the ECI directives. If Prime Minister flouts the 'silence period' defined in Law as inapplicable to him. If Prime Minister attempts to influence voters for electoral gains during the prohibited period, Should the ECI remain a mute and helpless spectator or act on its Constitutional Duty under Article 324 of the Constitution of India?"

"Do the Laws apply to Prime Minister or not and if ECI has the capacity and willingness to enforce such mandate or remain a helpless bystander?" he tweeted. 

If Prime Minister flouts electoral laws & code of conduct for elections with impunity, brazenly and in utter disregard of #ECI directives,

If Prime Minister refuses to so much even recognise the authority of Law and the ECI directives,

If Prime Minister flouts the “silence… pic.twitter.com/sBG6YYdpSz

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 9, 2023

PM Modi posted a video on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) official Twitter handle on Tuesday, captioned "My message to the people of Karnataka," in which he said "Kannadigas' dreams are his own. Every Kannadiga's dream is my own dream. Your resolution is also my resolution," he said.

My message to the people of Karnataka… pic.twitter.com/DvFGl952OV

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 9, 2023

Karnataka is bracing for a major battle tomorrow, following mega rallies and high-voltage campaigns such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mega roadshows in the state capital Bengaluru and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's rides on public buses and delivery bikes. Karnataka will vote tomorrow, with results to be declared on Saturday.