The Election Commission has advised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to exercise caution in his public speeches following his remarks labelling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "panauti" (bad omen) and "pickpocket."
This directive came in response to a Delhi High Court order from December last year, which instructed the Election Commission to take appropriate action against Gandhi for his speech on November 22, wherein he referred to Prime Minister Modi as a "pickpocket."
The court deemed the statement "not in good taste" and directed the ECI to act accordingly within eight weeks.
Furthermore, the Election Commission has urged Rahul Gandhi to adhere to its recent advisory for star campaigners and political leaders during election campaigning.
The advisory, issued on March 1, warned of strict action against parties, candidates, and star campaigners for any violation of the Model Code of Conduct. It also cautioned that campaigners and candidates who have previously received notices would face severe consequences for repeat offences.
Last year, the Election Commission had issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi following his use of terms like "panauti" and "pickpocket" for PM Modi.