EC withdraws notice to Rahul over TV interviews

The Election Commission tonight withdrew notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his TV interviews during Gujarat polls, and said it will revisit a provision in the election law under which it was issued.

The poll body had on December 13 issued the show cause notice to Rahul Gandhi for "prima facie" violating the provisions under the election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels.

While withdrawing the notice, it told the Congress and the BJP, "The Commission is of the considered view that due to multi-fold expansion of digital and electronic media, the extant Model Code of Conduct, Section 126 of the RP Act, 1951, and other related provisions require revisiting to cater to the requirement and challenges of the present and emerging situations."

The poll body also decided to set up a panel to suggest amendments to a provision in the election law barring campaigning 48 hours ahead of polling, following complaints that it has failed to keep pace with information technology.

The commission said Section 126 of the RP Act does not take into account communication revolution and "it appears imperative to revisit the provisions relating to the last 48 hours before completion of poll to appropriately address challenges unleashed by fast changing technologies in the context of multi-phase polls."

The proposed panel will "examine these provisions in the prevailing context of communication technologies and suggest required changes," it said.It also told the BJP about complaint by the Congress that model code was allegedly violated by the prime minister and union ministers Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal.

Without issuing any directions, the Commission said, "BJP is advised not to make mention of any election matter pertaining to area going for poll during the prohibited period of 48 hours, henceforth.