Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Several policemen and security personnel on election duty in Noida were served meals in packets labelled ‘Namo Foods’ at a polling booth today. (April 11). The incident faced a backlash from many on social media as election rules states that any material related to political parties and their candidates are prohibited within 200 metres of polling booth on the Election Day. Soon as the reports of Namo labelled food packets being distributed at a polling booth came to light, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Election Office (CEO) L Venkateshwarlu took cognisance of the matter. However, later the officials clarified that those were produced from a food joint named ‘Namo Food Shop’ and not from any political party.

“Misinformation is being spread that some policemen have been distributed food from a political party. This is absolutely wrong. At local level, some food packets were procured from Namo Food Shop and not from any political party,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Vaibhav Krishna told news agency PTI.

“Some people are spreading wrong and politically motivated rumour. There is no official order to procure food from any particular food outlet,” Krishna said and also appealed to people not to pay heed to rumours being spread via social media.

While several social media users including All India Mahila Congress account criticised the distribution of food packets labelled ‘Namo Food’ and wondered if this was a violation of the model code of conduct implemented by the Election Commission of India.














Meanwhile, speaking to ANI, BR Tiwari, Additional Chief Election Officer, said that the matter had been highlighted in a different light by the media. “We came to know about this from media reports. There is a very old shop, more than 10 years old, which has this brand name. It has been highlighted in a different manner in media,” he said.

Gautam Buddha Nagar is the constituency of Union Minister Mahesh Sharma’s from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sharma here is contesting against Arvind Kumar Singh of the Congress and Satveer Nagar of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).


The use of the acronym Namo has become one of the most controversial topics during the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 as it recognised as initials of the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lately, a TV channel named NaMo TV has been under the ED radar after several Opposition parties including the Congress raised objections. These political parties have demanded immediate banning of the channel during the period poll code is in place.