The Election Commission on Saturday granted Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi four more days to reply to its notice on his khooni panja (bloodied hand) barb on the Congress election symbol.

The extension was granted after the BJP on Friday sought an extra week to reply to the notice served on Mr. Modi on Wednesday on a complaint filed by the Congress. The BJP asked for more time on the premise that Mr. Modi was busy on the campaign trail and the party had not been able to discuss the issue with him.

As per the notice served on Mr. Modi on Wednesday, he was to reply by this (Saturday) evening 5 p.m. Now, he has been given time till 11.30 a.m. on November 20, 2013 to reply.

The Congress had petitioned the Election Commission on Sunday against Mr. Modi referring to its election symbol as khooni panja and jalim haathon (cruel hands). Mr. Modi made these references at a rally in Dongargarh in the Rajnandangaon district of election-bound Chhattisgarh.