EC bars Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati from poll campaigning for 72, 48 hours respectively

Taking note of their alleged objectionable statements in speeches, Election Commission on Monday barred Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati from election campaigning for 72 hours and 48 hours respectively, for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The bar comes into force from 6 am on April 16.

Election Commission citing Article 324 of the Constitution has barred both Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print and social media) in connection with the ongoing elections.

The EC took action after it issued show-cause notices to both the leaders in the case of respective violation of MCC.

The Commission observed: "Mayawati in her impugned speech, has appealed to secure votes on religious lines that tantamount to violation of provisions of 'General Conduct' of "Model Code of Conduct, for the guidance of political parties and candidates". Mayawati made the objectionable statements during the public rally on April 7 at Deoband, Saharanpur.

While Yogi Adityanath made some objectionable statements during a public rally at Meerut on April 9. EC said that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has accepted using reference of "Hara Virus" and "Bajrangbali" in his speech.

"Commission observes that being a senior leader, Adityanath should have desisted himself in making statements that have the undertone and propensity to polarize the election, which is not confined to the constituency only where the statement is made, but to the other parts as well due to dissemination of information in this digital age," the EC said.