The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reprimanded BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and Congress leader Supriya Shrinate for making disrespectful comments that undermine the dignity of women. The Commission emphasized its stance on the electoral process as a promoter of women’s status and asserted its commitment to preventing any degradation of their position.
In its ruling issued on Monday following their responses to notices regarding violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Commission stated that it is persuaded that the two leaders engaged in a derogatory personal attack, thereby contravening the MCC regulations.
They have been cautioned to exercise caution in their public statements during the MCC period. The Commission will subject their election-related communications to enhanced scrutiny and monitoring from this point forward.
A copy of the warning notice has also been forwarded to party chiefs to sensitize their members to exercise caution while communicating in the public domain. They are urged to refrain from making any derogatory remarks and violating MCC guidelines.
The Commission has meticulously reviewed the contents and statements provided in the responses from Shrinate and Ghosh. Additionally, it has reexamined the remarks made by both individuals.
As a reminder, ECI had previously issued a show cause notice to Supriya Shrinate for her disparaging comments directed at Bollywood actress and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Shrinate subsequently asserted that her social media profiles had been tampered with and emphasized that she would never make such remarks about any woman.
ECI also issued a notice to Dilip Ghosh, MP from West Bengal, for his objectionable and disrespectful remarks against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Ghosh later asserted that he had made the comments within a political context.
The Commission stressed that it “considers the whole process of conduct elections as a major enhancer of status of women in India and is committed not to allow any erosion of this status in any manner during the election period under its own aegis.”