Shimla, Apr 19 (UNI) Election Commission of India on Friday prohibited ruling Bharatiya Janata Party unit state chief Satpal Singh Sati for campaigning for next 48 hours, taking action against him for violating model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing an election meeting in a village near Ramshair of Solan district, Mr Sati allegedly made abusive remarks against Indian National Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his mother and relatives on Sunday.
Agitated over Mr Sati's remarks, Congress party lodged complaint with the Election Department and state police to lodge criminal case against him.
State Chief Electoral Officer Mr Devesh Kumar confirmed that ECI decided to ban Mr Sati from election campaign for the next 48 hrs.
The order, posted in Election department whatsapp page here, said that ECI under article 324 of the Constitution of India and all powers enabling in this behalf bars Mr Satpal Singh Sati from holding any public
meeting, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in the media (electronic, Print, social media ) in connection with on going elections for 48 hrs from 10 am April 20(Saturday)
Action was taken against Mr Sati on the basis of one of the two separate notices served to him by district Election Officer Solan Mr Vinod Kumar on 16 April.
Mr Sati could face similar action in another case as ECI surveillance team caught him on video making derogatory remarks about Mr Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on April 14 in Una district.
A FIR was also lodged under section 294 of IPC against Mr Sati on a Congress complaint for making derogatory or abusive remarks in the public meeting in a village near Ramshair of Nalagarh assembly segment in Solan district earlier on the same day .
Additional SP Baddi Mr NK Sharma said that FIR was lodged against Mr. Sati under section 294 of IPC today
on the complaint of Congress party. Under the provisions of this Section one can imprisoned for three months and fined. The offence is bailable under the CrPC.
On April 16, Deputy Commissioner Solan and district Election Officer Mr Vinod Kumar issued notice
against Mr Sati for making obscene remarks against AICC president Rahul Gandhi and other during a public
meeting at near Ranshair of Solan district.
The notices were served by the ECI to Mr Sati on the complaint of Congress party and on the basis of
ECI surveillance video footage during a public meeting at Una as the DEO Solan and ARO Gagret. He had yet to respond to the notices .
Additional Dalip Negi told UNI that Mr Sati submitted his reply to both the notices issued to him by DEO Solan and ARO Amb on yesterday and today maintaining that he quoted a social media posting during his speech and had not abused Mr Gandhi.
UNI ML RP2005