How can the Election Commission rein in its master?

The ECI banned Congress leader Randeep Surjewala from campaigning for 48 hours over his ‘derogatory’ remarks on sitting BJP MP Hema Malini.

It also warned a Congress candidate in Nagaland for saying that if the BJP returned to power at the Center for the third time, it would be difficult for “our tribes” to live in peace.

The commission also ordered registration of an FIR against BJP Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje for her ‘unverified allegations’ regarding the Rameshwaram cafe blast in Bengaluru.

It also directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to verify the discrepancies in the affidavit declaring assets of BJP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

DMK leader Anita R. An FIR was also registered for the comments made by Radhakrishnan on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The commission also claims that a total of 2,68,080 complaints of model code of conduct violations were filed by citizens between March 16 and April 16. e-vigil Microsite. It claimed that action was taken in 2,67,762 cases and 92 per cent were resolved in less than 100 minutes on an average. However, impressive statistics reveal little about the nature of complaints ‘resolved’.

In his speeches on April 21 and thereafter, the Prime Minister insisted that if the Congress came to power, it would conduct a survey of household assets before seizing gold and even property. MangalsutraJewelery from Hindu women and silver jewelery from tribal houses for distribution among Muslims. He called the members of that community ‘infiltrators’ (intruder) and referred to them as “people who give birth to large numbers of children”.