EC gives clean chit to PM Modi over Mission Shakti speech; says ‘he didn't violate poll code’

The Election Commission of India on Friday gave a clean chit to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his ‘Mission Shakti’ speech and said it did not break the Model Code of Conduct with his televised address to the nation on Wednesday on India successfully testing anti-satellite weapon A-SAT.

Election Commission said PM Modi's "Mission Shakti" speech didn't violate Model Code of Conduct (MCC); states, "Committee has reached to the conclusion that MCC provision regarding misuse of official mass media as contained in Para (IV) of Part VII of MCC isn't attracted in the case".

The EC took the decision based on the report of a committee of officers. The panel said it found that the prime minister did not violate the provision of ''party in power'' in the poll code.

"The committee has reached the conclusion that the MCC provision regarding misuse of official mass media as contained in Para (IV) of Part VII of Model Code of Conduct, quoted above, is not attracted in the instant case," a statement by the Election Commission said.

In his televised speech to the nation, PM Modi had announced the successful test-firing of India's anti-satellite (ASAT) missile, Mission Shakti. PM Modi said, "It is a matter of pride for all of us in India that Mission was accomplished using an indigenously developed ASAT missile."

"Outer space has today become a critical part of our day to day lives. It is no longer as far as it appears. A large number of Indian satellites are today orbiting around the earth helping our farmers, our fishermen, our students, our armed forces and our workers in different ways," PM Modi said.

The Model Code of Conduct is a series of dos and don'ts for the caretaker government and political parties, which comes into effect as soon as the Election Commission announce the polling dates.