Remove PM photo on vaccination certificates in election states, EC tells Centre

The Election Commission has asked the health ministry to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image and name on Covid-19 vaccination certificates in poll bound states. In a letter to the Union Health Ministry on Friday, EC reiterated its guidelines on the model code of conduct while asking for removal of Modi’s image and name in vaccine certificates issued in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, ET has learnt.

The order came shortly after a delegation of the Trinamool Congress drew EC’s attention to the PM’s photo on vaccination certificates and termed it as a ‘blatant misuse of official machinery’. The EC took the decision after a report of West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer and views of the health ministry. The health ministry is learnt to have defended the display of PM’s image and name, arguing that Covid-19 vaccination was an ongoing national plan and mission.

The EC, however, referred to guidelines which clearly say images and names of the PM or CM should not be displayed on hoardings, wall paintings or any other publicity material of governments to ensure a level playing field for all political parties for fair and free elections.


Accordingly, EC suggested that the PM’s photo and name should not appear on the vaccination certificates in poll-bound states when the model code of conduct was in force. Directions were sent out by CEOs of poll bound states on Modi’s images at petrol pump hoardings. The Trinamool Congress had red-flagged this issue too.

After a meeting with the EC earlier, West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim had said the PM was BJP’s star campaigner and use of his photo in the vaccination certificate could influence voters and violated the model code of conduct. Rajya Sabha MP Derek ‘O Brien also had tweeted on the issue. "Elections declared. PM photo still brazenly appearing on #Covid-19 documents. Trinamool @AITCofficial taking this up strongly with Election Commission @ECISVEEP”, he had tweeted. BJP’s West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh had argued that since the vaccination drive had started before announcement of polls, it was not violation of model code of conduct.