2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 22, 2026 01:50 AM IST
The Election Commission of India will “examine” the Opposition’s complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his address to the nation on April 18 was violative of the Model Code of Conduct, sources said on Tuesday.
Following PM Modi’s address in the midst of the polls, several opposition parties, including leaders of the Left, wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the address was violative of the poll code and sought action against him.
Sources in the EC said the complaint would be “examined” by the Model Code of Conduct division of Commission. The poll code came into force on March 15 and will remain in place till May 4, the day votes will be counted for the five Assemblies.
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar wrote separately to the poll panel chief, alleging misuse of the public broadcaster to influence public opinion in poll-bound states.
Separately, nearly 700 activists and private citizens, too, approached the EC on the alleged violation.
“Usage of a public broadcaster as a platform for political messaging during an election by the incumbent Prime Minister creates an uneven playing field and undermines the principle of free and fair elections, which is the cornerstone of our parliamentary democratic framework,” Baby said in his letter to the CEC.
