The Election Commission has issued a notification saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t violate the model code of conduct in his speech in Wardha in Maharashtra.

PM Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Wardha on April 1, said Congress was scared to field its leaders from majority dominated constituencies. He had made the remark in reference to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest from Wayanad in Kerala, as a second seat apart from Amethi.

“The Congress insulted Hindus and the people of the country have decided to punish the party in the election. Leaders of that party are now scared of contesting from constituencies dominated by the majority population. That is why they are forced to take refuge in places where the majority is a minority,” PM Narendra had said at the rally.

Following this, a delegation of Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Randeep Surjewala had filed a complaint with the EC, alleging that PM Modi’s speech was “hateful and divisive”. “The prime minister through his speech tried to spread hate for electoral gains which is a serious violation of the Representation of People Act,” the Congress leaders had alleged.

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After going through the transcript of the speech and report from the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra, the Election Commission has decided that the speech didn’t violate election laws. “The matter has been examined in detail in accordance with provisions of Model Code of Conduct, R P Act, and Maharashtra CEO’s report. Accordingly, EC is of the considered view that in this matter no such violation has been noticed,” the poll panel said.