New Delhi: The Election Commission has asked a panel to vet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation, to examine whether it had violated the model code of conduct or not.
The decision was taken after the poll body held an “internal consultation.” According to senior officials, the panel would seek a transcript of the Prime Minister’s speech from the government and look into the “urgency” of the address. It will look into whether “national security” can be invoked for justifying the urgency of the address.
The matter will now be taken up for discussion on Thursday. Election Commission so-urces were quoted as saying that they will look into the “origins” of the address to find out whether the preparation was done in the Prime Minister’s Office or the defence ministry.
From all accounts, the Election Commission was taken by surprise. Sources in the poll panel had earlier in the day told news agency PTI that issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct. “The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met. Decisions taken by it and issues such as disaster management do not fall under the model code of conduct and require no prior nod,”a functionary had said
