UP Elections 2017 | Refrain from communal speeches: EC to political parties

Dismayed at the flagrant use of religion and caste in the campaigns and rallies of ongoing elections in Uttar Pradesh, the poll watchdog has asked the politicians once again to desist from unhealthy trend of making making communally volatile remarks while campaigning.

This is the second appeal by the Election Commission. Aware that the politicians may use high pitched communal campaign to sway voters, the EC before the onset of elections, as early as on January 23, had sent a detailed letter addressed to the chief secretaries of all poll going states to be vigilant about such incidents.

"Any activity of seeking votes in the name of religion and caste by or on behalf of any candidate or political party would now amount to violation of the provisions of the Mode Code of Conduct," the letter had said.

But the electoral campaigns in Uttar Pradesh by the star politicians of nearly all parties from the third phase onward seemed to have violated the appeal by miles forcing the election commission to write a letter directly to all the political parties.

Alarmed at the blatant violation, the Election Commission this time chose send letter directly to the political parties.

In the letter, the poll panel advised them to observe "self-imposed restraint" while campaigning. "The commission has noted with dismay that (past) advisories are not having the desired result. It has witnessed a disturbing tendency of inflammatory statements being made by political leaders with the underlying object of mixing religion with electoral campaigning," it read.

The poll watchdog said that while some of the statements were made from places where the model code of conduct is not in force, it was easy in this electronic age for them to reach areas where elections are being contested and "disturb the level playing field" for other candidates.