Use of phrases like 'vote jihad' during Maharashtra polls under ECI's scanner: Official

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Controversial phrases like "vote jihad" used by some political parties during the election campaign in the recently-held Maharashtra assembly polls are under the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s scanner, an official said on Wednesday.

In an exclusive interview to PTI, Maharashtra Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dr Kiran Kulkarni also said that more than 650 cases of poll code violation were registered during the state elections, and the enforcement agencies will make sure that these cases are taken to a logical conclusion.

When asked about 'vote jihad', he said, "The ECI is carefully analysing its implications across legal, linguistic and social domains before taking further action…We should be very cautious with terms like 'vote jihad' because they have serious repercussions." "This is a new phrase requiring thorough study. There are legal, linguistic, social and religious aspects to consider. ECI officials, including the Chief Electoral Officer and I, are analysing this and we will take an appropriate decision once all these aspects are reviewed comprehensively," he said.

When asked if such controversial phrases affected the election discourse, Kulkarni cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions.

"It's a long-term process. Words and their references need to be defined and analysed thoroughly. There is no airtight legal framework for new terminology, so we must handle such matters carefully, keeping in mind their consequences," he said.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra legislative assembly were held on November 20 and the votes were counted three days later. The election code of conduct came into force in the state on October 15.

Kulkarni said, a total of 659 cases were filed in the state for violation of election code of conduct, significantly higher than the 366 cases registered during the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.

"Our investigating agencies did excellent work in the Lok Sabha cases with 300 chargesheets already filed in courts," he said.

On the assembly election cases, he said, "We are following up diligently. Our enforcement agencies are investigating, and all chargesheets will be filed in courts to make sure these cases reach a logical conclusion." The timeline for action depends on the judiciary, he said.

"These are criminal cases, so they follow the due process. Courts are serious about election-related offences, and we are requesting expedited resolution," he said.

On hate speech complaints, Kulkarni said these cases are dealt with under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

"Some complaints were verified as genuine, and cases were filed under relevant legal provisions. However, the model code of conduct is not a law but a consensual guideline supported by various laws," he said.

Kulkarni dismissed allegations of booth capturing during the polls, citing Maharashtra's robust electoral systems.

"Booth capturing has never happened in Maharashtra. With EVMs, it is meaningless because the machines are robust and data is retrievable. There were six reported instances of disruption (during voting), but the polling process was restored within an hour," he said, adding that in one instance, an EVM was replaced to dispel doubts.