Rashtrapati Bhavan writes to EC against use of President's photos for 'political purposes'

After it was reported that President Pranab Mukherjee's photo was captioned on Congress' banners and posters for electoral purposes, the Secretary to the President on Saturday wrote a letter to the Election Commission requesting him to take necessary steps to ensure that the neutrality of the Office is not breached.

Omita Paul in the letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Nasim Zaidi said, "The President is above party politics and neither his photo nor anything related to him in his capacity as the President can or should be used for any political purposes. All political parties should desist from ever linking the President to any political party in any manner for political goals."

Earlier today it was reported that the Ludhiana unit of the Congress used the name and photograph of the President at an election meeting.

The matter was later brought to a district elections office's attention and is presently looking as to whether this would amount to the violation of electoral rules.

The hoarding bearing President Mukherjee's picture put up a welcome sign for his daughter Sharmishtha Mukherjee, who was campaigning for the upcoming Punjab elections.