Kanpur: Narendra Modi’s close aide, Amit Shah and SP leader Azam Khan, have been banned by the Election Commission on Friday from holding public meetings, processions or roadshows in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have also been asked to initiate criminal proceedings against them.
The EC directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that no act of commission or omission is resorted to by BJP leader Amit Shah and UP Minister Azam Khan that can affect public tranquility and law and order. It was very critical of the role of Samajwadi Party’s government in the state for “soft-pedalling” on registration of FIRs against Khan and not dealing with the sensitive issue with alacrity.
The tough stand was taken by the EC at a top-level meeting of Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and S N A Zaidi where the poll body exercised its constitutional powers to prevent the two leaders from further vitiating the poll atmosphere.
“The Commission hereby directs under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, that necessary FIRs should be immediately filed and criminal proceedings initiated against the above mentioned two leaders, wherever the same have not been instituted so far,” the order said, adding, “No permission should be granted for holding public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows, etc., by the district administration authorities, where the above two leaders are expected or likely to participateâ€.
The EC also directed the Chief Secretary to ensure compliance of its orders by 5 pm of April 12. The poll body directed the authorities to take all preventive measures against Shah and Khan under the relevant provisions of CrPC. With a flood of complaints against politicians for their utterances during campaign, the EC on Friday issued a separate order for all Chief Electoral Officers to ensure that such violations are reported immediately.
It has directed the CEOs to promptly respond to media reports about such violations.
It said organisers of the events should be asked to provide with two copies of CDs carrying unedited versions of speeches of leaders.