Rajasthan elections: Poll panel’s communications to Congress on ‘missed call’ campaign, ads ‘camouflaged’ as news
The poll panel sent a notice to the Rajasthan Congress chief on the party’s campaign, urging people to make missed calls on a mobile number to benefit from the “guarantees”.
Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023: Days before the November 25 elections, the Rajasthan Congress on Wednesday received two notices from the Election Commission (EC) for the party’s ‘missed call’ campaign and for allegedly ‘camouflaging’ political advertisements in newspapers as ‘news items’.
The poll panel sent a notice to the Congress’s Rajasthan unit chief on the party’s campaign, urging people to make missed calls on a mobile number to benefit from its ‘guarantees’ if the party gains power in the state remains.
Earlier in the day, the EC had issued another notice to the Rajasthan Congress for allegedly camouflaging political advertisements in newspapers as ‘news items’.
In the second notice, the committee said that an advertisement in newspapers and on social media was examined in light of the provisions of the model code of conduct and “prima facie found to be contrary to… provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.”
“… in the meantime, refrain from using this format, content, language and placement of advertisements, which, according to your own party’s complaint in March, are contrary to the spirit of the Representation of the People Act and the Model Code of Conduct…,” the This message was read while referring to a similar complaint filed by the Congress against the BJP during the Assam Assembly elections.
The BJP had moved the EC against Congress’s advertisements ahead of the November 25 Assembly elections in Rajasthan.
The announcement said it appears the ad was “designed to look like a news item with the intent to disorient voters.”
“It is not only misleading but also appears designed to create confusion in the minds of voters about the outcome of the election, thereby attempting to disrupt the level playing field,” the poll panel said.
The EC said the advertisements referred to in the complaint “do not meet the standards expected of a national party”.
Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra has been asked to respond to the first communication on Thursday at 3 pm and on the second Friday at 7 pm.
In connection with the Congress’ ‘missed call’ campaign, the BJP had accused the party of resorting to “corrupt” practices by wooing voters.
“A registered number was generated for the caller, giving the impression that only the caller would benefit from voting for a particular candidate or party, especially the Congress Party,” the opposition party had alleged in its complaint to the EC.
The Congress has placed this advertisement in newspapers and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has also posted about it on X, the BJP complaint said.
(With input from agencies)