If reports to be believed the Election Commission of India has issued show cause notices to the railways and civil aviation ministries for allegedly violating the model code of Conduct by using Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s images on railway tickets and Boarding passes of Air India Flight services.
The Model Code of Conduct came into force on March 10 when the poll panel has announced the dates and schedule for the mega Lok Sabha Elections 2019.
Those within the poll body familiar with the ongoing development claimed that both railways and Air India have violated poll code, he said while referring to the clause VII of the Model Code Conduct which states that “issue of advertisement at the cost of public exchequer (expenditure) regarding the achievements with a view to furthering the prospects of the party in power shall be scrupulously avoided”.
The Indian Railways has last week withdrawn the tickets having PM Modi’s image on it. It has further directed all its zones not to use all such tickets. The advertisement in the Railway tickets was a part of publicity by the Union Housing Ministry and highlighted the BJP-led Central Government‘s flagship programme Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and carried a picture of PM Narendra Modi.
While the Air India Boarding passes carried photographs of PM Modi and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. However, the Air Lines claimed that the advertisement was issued by the third party and will withdraw such passes if it amounts to a model code of conduct.
The Election Commission’s move to issue show cause notices came days after Trinamool Congress Delegation met the poll body and lodged a formal complaint claiming that the railway tickets and Boarding passes featuring PM Modi pictures issued by Indian Railways, and Air India respectively is done at the cost of public expenditure.
The Complaint filed by the TMC further claimed that it is done to influence voters and it violated the model code of conduct.
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