Indian election commission seeks report on Modi's reference to military during campaign

The Indian Election Commission has sought a report on the mention of armed forces by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a rally in Maharashtra a day earlier. 

During his political speech, Modi was seen asking first-time voters to dedicate their ballots to the Indian military, Times of India reported on Wednesday.

“I want to tell the first-time voters: can your first vote be dedicated to the soldiers [who carried out the air strike in Pakistan? Can your first vote be dedicated to the soldiers [killed in] Pulwama?” Modi was quoted as saying.

Last month, the election commission of India had issued an advisory asking political parties and candidates to refrain, during their election campaigns, from “indulging in political propaganda involving activities of defence forces” related to recent Pak-India tensions following the Pulwama attack, ToI reported.

Hindustan Times quoted sources in the poll panel as saying that that the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra has been directed to submit a report on the matter at the earliest.

India’s Election Commission has announced that the upcoming national polls will be held in seven phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29, and May 6, 12 and 19. The votes will be counted May 23.

About 900 million people are eligible to vote in world’s largest democratic country.