Election News Digest: EC Bans Congress' Chowkidaar Chor Hai Ad

Bhopal: The Election Commission in Madhya Pradesh has banned the 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' advertisement of the Congress party and ordered an end to its broadcast.

The Joint Chief Election Officer on Wednesday issued a notice to all the state district officers saying that the media certification and inspection committee has cancelled the ad certification and it should be discontinued.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier complained to the Chief Election Officer saying that the ad was offensive and defamatory in nature.

Chief Election Officer V.L. Kantarao has directed action against the Congress, besides issuing a notice to the party.

EC Ignoring Code Violation by BJP: Mayawati

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has alleged that the Election Commission was turning a blind eye to "blatant violation of the model code of conduct" by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

In a statement, Mayawati said Adityanath was visiting temples and eating food in the houses of dalits during the period he was banned from campaigning.

"The Chief Minister's activities are being widely published in the media which amounts to campaigning. Why is the Election Commission so generous towards him?" she asked.

She accused the poll panel of wrongly favouring BJP leaders.

"It is impossible to have free and fair elections if the EC continues to turn a blind eye to the activities of BJP leaders," she said.

Villagers Boycott Voting to Protest Pollution

Chennai: Around 500 voters in Nagaraja Kandigai village in the Tiruvallur Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu boycotted the election in protest against the functioning of a polluting sponge iron factory in their locality, said an official.

"We have asked the company to stop all its operations at its factory... Talks are on with the villages to convince them to participate in the electoral process," Nandakumar, the Revenue Divisional Officer of Ponneri, said.

The villagers are up against the Chennai Ferrous Industries Ltd.

According to officials, no vote had been cast in the polling booth set up for the people of Nagaraja Kandigai village.

CPI(M) MP Mohd Salim's Car Vandalised

Islampur (West Bengal): The car of CPI(M) leader and Raiganj sitting MP Mohammad Salim was allegedly vandalised by Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district on Thursday in the second phase of polling for the 2019 elections.

Salim, also the Left Front-backed candidate in the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat, alleged that "goons" attacked his convoy on his way to a polling station in Islampur where the ruling TMC supporters were allegedly engaged in vote rigging.

The attack shattered the windscreen of Salim's white SUV. He sustained minor injuries.

"Trinamool-backed miscreants gathered within 100 meters of a polling station in Islampur's Patagara. They were trying to intimidate the voters. When I tried to go to there, they attacked my vehicle," Salim said. He accused the state police of being silent spectators.