CPI Leader Alleges PM Modi Violated Election Code with Recent Address

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) through his recent address to the nation, and sought immediate intervention by the poll panel. In a letter dated April 19, Kumar said the prime minister's address, delivered at a time when the MCC is in force in five states, was "political in nature" and contained "partisan assertions" and "selective narratives" aimed at influencing public opinion on an issue under active political contestation. He further said the broadcast of the address on public platforms such as Doordarshan and Sansad TV amounted to misuse of state resources. "The use of publicly funded platforms for what is essentially a political speech constitutes a grave breach of electoral norms," Kumar said. The CPI leader argued that such actions undermine the level playing field that the poll body is mandated to ensure during elections. He cautioned that failure to act could erode public confidence in the impartiality of the commission and signal "institutional complicity".