Seems like you got powers: CJI to EC over strict action on hate speech during polls

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 16) expressed satisfaction over Election Commission’s action against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and others for allegedly making hate speeches during Lok Sabha election campaign.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also refused to consider the plea of Mayawati challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) 48-hr ban on the leader and asked her counsel to file a separate appeal against the poll panel’s order.

Taking note of the EC action, the court said it seems the EC has “woken up” and barred various politicians from poll campaigning for varying hours.

The bench also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna made it clear that no further order was required for now.

Following the Supreme Court rap for EC, the poll panel on Monday afternoon took action against Adityanath, Mayawati, Azam Khan and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by an NRI Yoga teacher based in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seeking a direction to the EC to take “strict action” against political parties if their spokespersons make remarks based on caste and religion in the media in the run up to general elections.