ECI says no approval sought for PM's April 18 TV address, claims TMC's Saket Gokhale

TMC leader Saket Gokhale on Thursday claimed that the Election Commission of India, in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by him, confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not seek prior approval for his April 18 televised address to the nation during the recent assembly polls.

In a post on X, Gokhale called the RTI response a ''shocking reveal'' and alleged that the ECI failed to act despite what he called a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).

Gokhale, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said the address delivered while assembly elections were underway in states was billed around ''naari shakti'', but was used by the prime minister to criticise opposition parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party and the DMK over the defeat of the Delimitation Bill in Parliament.

''He used a shocking expression saying 'these parties had committed foeticide of women's rights','' he said.

Sharing screenshots of the RTI application and the ECI's response, Gokhale said the poll body informed him that ''no such application'' seeking approval for the televised broadcast had been received.

The RTI response, as shared by Gokhale, in reply to one of the queries seeking to know whether an application for approval had been received for the televised broadcast in accordance with MCC rules, says, ''No such application received.''.

On the question of whether prior approval had been granted for the speech, the response said the ''requested information is not available''.

The TMC leader alleged that despite the absence of prior approval, the ECI ''took no action'' against the prime minister.

''This is precisely why the most important fight before us today is against the compromised ECI & to protect free & fair elections,'' Gokhale said in the post, further alleging that the ECI was working in favour of the ruling leadership.

''When the ECI itself manipulates elections & works for Modi-Shah, we lose the right to be called a democracy,'' he added.

Prime Minister Modi had addressed the nation on April 18, as the MCC was in force in four states of West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Pudducherry.

The address was delivered a day after the Lower House of Parliament rejected a Constitution Amendment Bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha and assembly seats and implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures under the Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam.

In his address, the prime minister lashed out at the Congress and its allies for defeating the Bill, saying they committed the ''sin of foeticide'' and will face severe punishment from the women.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)