Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is BJP's announced Prime Ministerial candidate for the elections in 2014 and AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi for Congress party which is not announced officially but strongly believed by the Congress party leaders. Both of them were warned by the Election Commission of India.

The Election Commission of India is not happy with the explanations given by Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi on their objectionable speeches. Rahul Gandhi was already warned about the choice of words and topics and asked not to do it again!  On Thursday EC after watching the CD of Modi’s speech in which he called the election symbol of the Congress party as ‘Khooni panja’- murderous claw, warned Modi not to resort to that type of speech again.

EC apparently is not satisfied with the explanation of Modi referring Article 19(1)(A) that gives a right of freedom of speech and his statement that only policies and programs of the Congress party was criticized but no personal attacks were made on the leaders. Modi in his reply also asked for the more specific guidelines.

EC said that the freedom of speech is not absolute. “Freedom of speech is not absolute and is to be exercised in such a manner that it does not transcend, inter alia, the boundaries of decency and morality or disturb the public order or cause defamation.”

For the more specific guidelines in the speeches asked by Modi EC said, “The Commission considers that while criticizing the policies, programs and past records of political parties, the expressions and utterances, even when used colloquially, have to be couched in such terms that the same conform to dignity, decorum and public morality”.

When the contest is for the highest position of the country’s administration representing people of India will it not be good for them to maintain dignity and not to be corrected?

Should the PM candidates be coached by the Election Commission in delivering speeches?

-SriJa