Chennai: The Election Commission on Thursday reprimanded DMK leader A Raja for violation of model code of conduct, delisted his name from list of star campaigner of DMK and also debarred him from campaigning for next 48 hours with immediate effect upon not finding his reply regarding his remarks over Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami and his mother satisfactory. Earlier on Tuesday, the Election Commission had issued a show-cause notice to the DMK leader for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the state’s chief Minister during an election campaign. The former Union minister and DMK’s star campaigner was asked to respond to the notice by 6 pm on Wednesday.
Based on ground reports, the Commission said, it is of the view that “the contents of the speech made by you are not only derogatory but also obscene and lower the dignity of motherhood of women, which seems to be a serious violation of the provisions of Model Code of Conduct.”
The Commission has given him “an opportunity to explain your position in this regard on or before 6 pm on 31 March, failing which the Commission shall take a decision without any further reference to you.”
The notice said the EC received a complaint through the state chief electoral officer from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which alleged that Raja had made a derogatory and scandalous speech against Palaniswami during an election campaign on 26 March at Thousand Lights assembly constituency.
The notice pointed out that the Central Crime Branch has registered a case under the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 against the DMK MP.
The EC said that Raja had allegedly said that (DMK leader MK) “Stalin is a child of good relationship and good birth while Palaniswami is a child of bad relationship and a premature born child”. The EC also referred to some other remarks made by Raja against the chief minister.