Election Commission counters ex-CEC's charges of inaction against hate speeches

New Delhi: The Election Commission has in an unprecedented step lashed out at former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, alleging him of "selective amnesia" for his 'constant criticism' at the body he once headed over the handling of Model Code of Conduct complaints.

In a letter to Quraishi on Thursday, senior deputy election commissioner Sandeep Saxena listed MCC notices issued by the poll panel when he was the CEC. The letter said no FIR was filed and "no action was taken by the then Commission during this period under Sections 123 and 125 of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 and Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code".

The said sections list out the several 'don'ts' for political leaders and election candidates during the election campaign and model code of conduct period. Section 153 of IPC invites imprisonment of six months to a year or a fine or both. Quraishi had recently said the EC should act more strongly against those violating model code of conduct and indulging in hate speech by lodging FIRs against such political leaders and candidates. "It is rather ironic as how far selective amnesia can mislead the reader," Saxena has written in the communication to the former CEC.


While ET attempted to elicit Quraishi's view on the EC communication, he did not respond till the time of going to the press. Quraishi was the CEC from July 2010 to June 2012. Elections were conducted in 11 states under him. EC stated nine show cause notices were issued in the 11 states elections, advisories were issued in five cases and warnings in two of them. Two cases were closed.