Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 23 : Election authorities in Kerala have initiated legal proceedings against BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan ahead of the scheduled polls for allegedly making controversial remarks during his election campaign and over allegations of breaching the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The Thrissur District Collector took the step after a review of controversial content shared by the candidate from the Guruvayur constituency.
According to the CEO of Kerala, the action was initiated against B Gopalakrishnan, BJP state vice president and candidate from Guruvayur constituency, over alleged violation of the MCC during the ongoing Kerala Assembly elections.
According to a press release from the office of CEO Rathan U Kelkar, the Thrissur District Collector took action based on a complaint regarding controversial remarks made by the BJP leader.
The CEO directed that a case be registered under Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, along with relevant provisions of the Model Code of Conduct laid down by the Election Commission.
Authorities found that a video shared by the leader allegedly violated MCC norms, which prohibit seeking votes based on caste or communal sentiments and the use of religious places such as temples, mosques, or churches for election campaigning. Following the directive, the video has been removed from social media platforms, and an FIR has been registered at the Guruvayur Temple Police Station.
Earlier, Kerala Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan wrote to state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rathan U Kelkar, alleging violation of the MCC following the announcement of the upcoming assembly elections.
He alleged that hoardings and advertisements highlighting the achievements and schemes of the Left government continue to be displayed prominently across different parts of Kerala.
The polling for Kerala Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
On March 19, the BJP released its first list of 47 candidates, fielding the party's state President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, from the Nemom seat and former Union Minister of State for External Affairs of India, V Muraleedharan, from the Kazhakoottam seat.
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