'Gross Violations': Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP Files Complaint Against Shiv Sena, BJP's Campaigners List

According to the NCP-SP, both Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, and the BJP have included names of individuals from other political parties in their star campaigner lists.

The Nationalist Congress Party led by former Maharashtra chief minister Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging "gross violations" by Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of the Representation of People’s Act and the Model Code of Conduct.

According to the complaint, both Shiv Sena, led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, and the BJP have included names of individuals from other political parties in their star campaigner lists. This act, as per the NCP-SP, contravenes Section 77 of the Representation of People’s Act.

Additionally, the NCP-SP highlighted that Shiv Sena has listed various individuals holding high public offices, including the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Chief Minister, and Deputy Chief Minister, in their campaign materials.

"This is not only a violation of Representation of People’s Act, but also the Model Code of Conduct as the representatives of the party in power in Centre or State are categorically barred from using their official positions for the purpose of election Campaign," the party posted on X.

NCP-SP's Complaint Against BJP, Shiv Sena Campaigners List

In its complaint, the NCP-SP cited the following list shared by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena highlighting names of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Eknath Shinde, Nitin Gadkari, Ramdas Athavale, Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar, all of them holding public office.

Regarding the BJP's campaigners list, it claimed the inclusion of Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar who do not belong to the saffron party.

"Both the parties are in blatant violation of the Representation of People's Act, 1951. As clarified by Explanation anation 2 to Section 77(1) of Representation of People's Act, 1951, a subject political party can only nominate leaders of its own political party and not leaders of other political parties who are not members of the subject political party. Therefore, if a person is not a member of a political party, the said person cannot be listed out as a leader of that political party under Section 77(1) of the Representation of People's Act, 1951. This understanding has been reinforced by various communications by the Hon'ble Election Commission even in the past. Attached hereto and marked as Annexure A is the Notification issued by your good offices numbered 76/2007/JS-II/3343-3426 dated 4 April 2007, clarifying the provision in detail in Paragraph 2," the complaint reads.

The NCP-SP expressed hope that the ECI would take strict actions to uphold the sanctity of free and fair elections in the country.