The Election Commission has stopped the release of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till the completion of the Lok Sabha elections.

The first of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls will be held on Thursday while the last is scheduled to be held on May 19. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23.

In a communication to the three producers of the Narendra Modi biopic, the Election Commission, through Chief Election Officer, Maharashtra, said: “That any biopic material in the nature of biography/hagiography sub-serving the purposes of any political entity or any individual entity connected to it, which is intended to, or which has the potential to disturb the level playing field during the elections, should not be displayed in electronic media, including cinematograph, during the operation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).”

The communication adds that the Commission had announced the general elections to the 17th Lok Sabha on March 10 and the MCC came into force from that date.

“In view of the admitted facts and material available on record, this film — being a biopic on Narendra Modi, Prime Minister and a prospective candidate in the current general elections to the Lok Sabha — cannot be exhibited in view of the Commission’s order,” it said.

“You are directed not to exhibit the film titled ‘PM Narendra Modi till further orders,” it added.

Fate of Namo TV

Meanwhile, the six-page EC order is also being viewed as a ban on Namo TV.

The order states that any poster or publicity material concerning any specified content, which either depicts a candidate (including prospective) for the furtherance (or purported to further) of electoral prospect, directly or indirectly, shall not be put to display in electronic media in the area where the MCC is in operation.

This is likely to be used to ban Namo TV, political observers say.