'Nalayak' remark against PM Modi: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank gets EC notice

Karnataka Elections 2023: The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to Congress leader Priyank Kharge for his 'nalayak' remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The poll watchdog said that prima facie he has violated provisions of the model code. Priyank is the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The poll body has asked Priyank to respond to the notice by May 4 evening as to why appropriate action for violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) should not be taken against him. The BJP had moved the EC against Priyank for using abusive language against PM Modi.

Earlier on Tuesday, EC issued an advisory to political parties and their star campaigners, asking them to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances during campaigning in Karnataka and not to vitiate the election atmosphere.

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Taking serious note of the "plummeting level of campaign discourse" during electioneering, the poll panel referred to the instances of "inappropriate vocabulary and language" used during the ongoing campaign by persons, "in particular, by those invested with the statutory status of star campaigner".

Karnataka will vote in a single phase on May 10, and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.

(With inputs from PTI)