Calcutta HC restrains BJP from publishing derogatory ads about Trinamool Congress amid elections
The court also reprimanded the Election Commission for failing to act against the Hindutva party for advertisements that violated the Model Code of Conduct.
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The Calcutta High Court on Monday restrained the Bharatiya Janata Party from publishing derogatory advertisements about the Trinamool Congress in violation of the Model Code of Conduct amid the Lok Sabha Elections, reported Live Law.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress seeking an injunction against the BJP for several advertisements it had published in newspapers targeting the West Bengal ruling party.
One of the advertisements, according to the Trinamool Congress, labelled the Opposition party as “Sanatan Virodhi Trinamool [anti Sanatan Trinamool]”, reported The Indian Express. Sanatan Dharma is a synonym for Hinduism.
The Trinamool Congress told the court that the BJP’s advertisements had violated the Model Code of Conduct, which prohibits any political advertising on the lines of caste and religion, even under the guise of news articles.
The code is a set of guidelines issued by the poll panel that political parties and governments have to follow in the run-up to an election.
A single bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya noted that the BJP’s advertisements targeting the Trinamool Congress had also been published within 48 period of silence that the code imposes in a region before it goes to the polls. Parties are not allowed to campaign or publish any advertisements in this time.
The plea also contended that the Trinamool Congress had...
