Pickpocket Remark: Delhi HC grants EC 8 weeks to decide on notice against Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi 'panauti' remark

The Delhi High Court on December 21 granted eight weeks to the Election Commission to decide on the notice against Rahul Gandhi in connection with the "pickpocket" remark targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The EC has informed the court that Rahul Gandhi is yet to respond to the notice issued against him.

The court also noted that the Gandhi's remark was not in good taste and directed the ECI to take appropriate action against him; however, the court refrained from passing any further orders on the matter.

Notably, the order was passed on a plea filed by lawyer Bharat Nagar who sought the framing of stricter laws and guidelines to prevent such derogatory speeches.

The Election Commission issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi in November 2023 over remarks he had made during election rallies. Gandhi, in a poll speech in Rajasthan, had used the slurs “panauti”, “pickpocket”, and “loan-waiver” against PM Modi. He had dubbed the prime minister a "panauti" after India lost the World Cup final against Australia, a cricket match that Modi had attended in person.

The EC noted that the word “panauti” (bad omen) ex facie is prohibited under section 123(2) of the Representation of People Act under which inducement or “attempts to induce a candidate or an elector to believe that he, or any person in whom he is interested, will become or will be rendered an object of divine displeasure or spiritual censure” is considered a corrupt practice.

In Hindi, “panauti” loosely refers to someone who brings bad luck.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had approached the poll panel against the former Congress president, saying it was "unbecoming" of a senior leader to use such language. The EC reminded Gandhi that the Model Code of Conduct prohibits leaders from making unverified allegations against political rivals.