Election wrap: EC's warning to BJP & Cong, Pawan Singh's expulsion, & more

The poll panel emphasised that the two major parties must not undermine the heritage of the Indian voter's quality electoral experiences

On May 22, the Election Commission asked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the key opposition party Congress to desist from campaigning along caste, community, language, and religious lines, asserting that India’s socio-cultural milieu cannot be made a casualty to elections.

Meanhwile, Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh was expelled from BJP for "tarnishing the party's image" by contesting Lok Sabha poll "against an authorised NDA candidate". Singh has entered the fray, as an independent, in Karakat seat of Bihar, which is set to go for polling on June 1.

EC cracks whip on BJP, Congress; asks Nadda, Kharge to 'maintain decorum'

The Election Commission, on May 22, slammed both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition Congress for the poll speeches made by their star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The poll panel directed BJP president JP Nadda and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to issue formal notes to their star campaigners, urging them to "correct" their discourse, exercise care, and maintain decorum during their speeches.

In separate directions issued to Nadda and Kharge, the EC stated that the country's socio-cultural ecosystem cannot be compromised during elections. The poll panel also emphasised that the two major parties must not undermine the heritage of the Indian voter's quality electoral experiences.

It has pulled up both parties for campaigning on the lines of caste, religion, community and language. It has explicitly issued instructions for the star campaigners for both parties to not refrain from religious and communal overtones in their public speeches that might give rise to tensions within the community.

BJP expels Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh for contesting against NDA candidate

The BJP on Wednesday expelled Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh for contesting Lok Sabha elections against NDA's official candidate, as an independent candidate.

Singh had earlier announced his decision to contest from Karakat Lok Sabha constituency as an independent candidate.

In a letter to Singh, the BJP said his decision was "anti-party", and also tarnished the image of the party while being against its principles.

Karakat will vote on June 1 in the seventh and last phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Rashtriya Lok Morcha head and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha is contesting as the NDA candidate from the south Bihar seat, where Pawan Singh decided to contest after declining a BJP ticket from Asansol in West Bengal.

Jagan Reddy's party MLA caught on camera damaging EVM, EC orders strict action

A week after elections were held in Andhra Pradesh, video footage of an MLA of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) damaging an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in a poll booth has surfaced on social media.

YSRCP leader Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, the sitting MLA from the Macherla constituency, was seen walking into the Palwai Gate polling centre, where an election official got up to greet him. Without saying a word, the MLA walked into the enclosed area where the EVM was kept, picked it, and threw it on the ground. The incident was recorded on the web camera at the polling booth.

The incident took place on May 13 when all 25 of Andhra Pradesh’s Lok Sabha constituencies and all 175 Assembly seats went to the polls.

The Election Commission (EC) said EVMS were damaged in seven polling stations on May 13 in the Macherla Assembly constituency, including the one where Reddy, allegedly damaged an EVM. The poll panel ordered Chief Electoral Officer MK Meena to ask the DGP to take strong action in the matter. The police have informed the Chief Electoral Officer that the MLA has been named as accused in the case.

The EC also directed the police to take stringent action against all the persons involved in the EVM damaging cases to make an example out of them so that “nobody in the future dares to take any such action to interfere into the peaceful conduct of polls”.

'Lok Sabha election is not...,' says Jairam Ramesh on INDIA bloc's formula for PM face

The Lok Sabha election is not a beauty contest between individuals, hence, the INDIA bloc has not presented a prime ministerial candidate against Narendra Modi, stated Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on May 22.

"Choosing the Prime Minister after receiving the mandate on June 4 will take only a few hours," he further added.

Ramesh's statement came a day after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge mentioned that the INDIA bloc would select the Prime Minister through a consensus at a meeting of all 26 alliance partners once the results are declared on June 4. Kharge stated that the process would mirror the approach adopted by the former UPA in 2004.

The absence of a prime ministerial candidate in the INDIA bloc's campaign has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP-led NDA, with PM Modi claiming that the opposition was planning for five prime ministers in five years. Kharge, however, has countered this allegation, stating that the UPA was also an alliance of parties and completed full terms with one prime minister at the helm.

Calcutta HC declines to lift stay on 'misleading' ads by BJP against TMC

The Calcutta High Court on May 22 declined to life stay on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from publishing advertisements against the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which violated the model code of conduct.

The stay comes following the court's earlier order of restraining the party from publishing advertisements until June 4, the day the Lok Sabha election process ends.

The Court opined that the ideal course of action for the BJP is to go back to the single-judge and seek a recall or a review of the order under challenge, according to Bar & Bench report.

Earlier, a single bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya had restrained the BJP from publishing advertisements in any form of the media which is violative of the MCC till June 4 or until further notice.

The court had observed that a perusal of the newspaper advertisements annexed by petitioner TMC evince that those are in violation of the MCC. It also criticised the Election Commission (EC) for not addressing the complaints promptly, especially with most phases of the Lok Sabha elections already completed.

Rajnath Singh's firm counter to Kejriwal's 'PM will retire' dig

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will assume office in 2029 too.

During an interview with Times of India, Singh rubbished Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other opposition leaders’ claim that PM Modi will pass the baton to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“Their claim has a message that they have already accepted their defeat and admitted that Modi will be PM once again. However, who is he (Kejriwal) to take a decision for BJP? Such a decision can be taken only by the political party concerned… in our case, it is the parliamentary board that takes such decisions. The board has already announced that Modi will be PM. In fact, Modi will be PM also in 2029,” Singh told TOI.

Singh also denied Kejriwal’s claim Yogi Adityanath will be replaced as Uttar Pradesh CM if BJP returns to office.

Since his return from Tihar, Kejriwal has been saying that PM Modi is making way for Home Minister Amit Shah to be his replacement. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has also alleged that the BJP will leave Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath out in the cold after the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

No relief for Hemant Soren, Supreme Court refuses to hear interim bail plea

The Supreme Court on May 22 refused to hear former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money-laundering case, as it pulled him up for hiding facts of the case.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief, who was arrested in January, has been trying for an interim bail, like Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

A bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma pulled up Soren for not disclosing the fact that a special court had taken cognisance of the complaint against him, which left little room for him to challenge the validity of his arrest.

The court was also miffed over the fact that Soren pursued his bail petition, while also challenging the validity of his arrest.

Soren then withdrew his plea, a regular practice if the court expresses its disinclination to entertain a petition to avoid adverse observations. Soren was arrested on January 31 in an alleged land scam. Before his arrest, he had resigned as the chief minister and his senior party colleague, Champai Soren, took over.