The Bombay high court on Tuesday asked the Central government and Election Commission to file their replies on a public interest litigation filed last year alleging violation of code of conduct by the
The Bombay high court on Tuesday asked the Central government and Election Commission to file their replies on a public interest litigation filed last year alleging violation of code of conduct by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders during the Lok Sabha elections by spending a large amount of money.
Pune-based social activist Hemant Patil in his petition has alleged that BJP leaders violated rules of expenditure during the polls. He claimed that the BJP spent crores of rupees to promote its candidates. The petition said that according to the rules, the commission has allowed only Rs 70 lakh for a candidate in the Lok Sabha polls, but BJP MPs, including PM Narendra Modi, had spent crores in their respective constituencies. Hence, they had violated code of conduct, Mr Patil alleged.
The petition came up for hearing before the division bench headed by Justice V.M. Kanade and Justice B.P. Colabawala, which asked the respondents to file their replies within the next four weeks.
Advocate R.N. Kachave has contended that the petitioner had complained in writing to the Government of India and the Election Commission alleging election malpractices by Mr Modi. However, he did not get any response from them. Also, no legal action had been taken against Mr Modi by the authorities. He then moved the high court.
The petition prayed that the Centre and the Election Commissi-on may be directed to produce records of his complaint and also asked that a report be filed within a stipulated time frame.
